What do you think?
Rate this book
The Prison Healer #1
The Prison Healer: DISCOVER the epic, slow-burn fantasy in a GLOBALLY BESTSELLING series
Here at Zalindov, the only person you can trust is yourself.
Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan is a survivor. For ten years, she has worked as the healer in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, making herself indispensable. Kept afloat by messages of hope from her family, Kiva has one goal and one goal only: stay alive.
Then one day the infamous Rebel Queen arrives at the prison on death's door and Kiva receives a new message: Don't let her die. We are coming.
The queen is sentenced to the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Aware the sickly queen has little chance of making it through the Trials alive, Kiva volunteers to take her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.
But no one has ever survived.
And with an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva's heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can't escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.
From bestselling Australian author Lynette Noni comes a masterful and action-packed YA fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir.
Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan is a survivor. For ten years, she has worked as the healer in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, making herself indispensable. Kept afloat by messages of hope from her family, Kiva has one goal and one goal only: stay alive.
Then one day the infamous Rebel Queen arrives at the prison on death's door and Kiva receives a new message: Don't let her die. We are coming.
The queen is sentenced to the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Aware the sickly queen has little chance of making it through the Trials alive, Kiva volunteers to take her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.
But no one has ever survived.
And with an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva's heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can't escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.
From bestselling Australian author Lynette Noni comes a masterful and action-packed YA fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir.
Audible Audio
First published April 13, 2021
About the author
Lynette Noni
26 books9,889 followersLynette Noni is the #1 bestselling author of the globally renowned young adult fantasy trilogy, The Prison Healer, the seven-book YA fantasy series, The Medoran Chronicles, the award-winning duology, Whisper, and the standalone contemporary, Wandering Wild. Her newest book, Shadow Reaper, released in June 2026 to international acclaim.
To date, Lynette has won four ABIA Awards (Australian Book Industry Awards) as well as a Gold Inky Award, with her books having sold more than one million copies in over 25 countries. She is also a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, and has works in development for film and TV.
When Lynette isn’t writing, you can find her living on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland, strolling along the beach, watching Disney movies, and—always—dreaming of new adventures.
To date, Lynette has won four ABIA Awards (Australian Book Industry Awards) as well as a Gold Inky Award, with her books having sold more than one million copies in over 25 countries. She is also a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, and has works in development for film and TV.
When Lynette isn’t writing, you can find her living on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland, strolling along the beach, watching Disney movies, and—always—dreaming of new adventures.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38,327 reviews
May 16, 2021
this book is definitely worth all the hype its getting.
and it reminded me that the setting doesnt need to be intricate. an entire story can take place in a single location (eg. a prison) and still be entertaining if the characters (tipp deserves to be protected at all costs), plot (political scheming), and writing (perfect pacing) are great. which they are in this.
my only complaint would be the ‘twists.’ even though they arent necessarily predictable, they didnt surprise or shock me, either. if anything, the reveals feel… really dang convenient. i dont know how else to explain it. they just feel underwhelming.
but overall, this really is an enthralling and enticing start to a series. so excited that the sequel comes out later this year!
↠ 4.5 stars
and it reminded me that the setting doesnt need to be intricate. an entire story can take place in a single location (eg. a prison) and still be entertaining if the characters (tipp deserves to be protected at all costs), plot (political scheming), and writing (perfect pacing) are great. which they are in this.
my only complaint would be the ‘twists.’ even though they arent necessarily predictable, they didnt surprise or shock me, either. if anything, the reveals feel… really dang convenient. i dont know how else to explain it. they just feel underwhelming.
but overall, this really is an enthralling and enticing start to a series. so excited that the sequel comes out later this year!
↠ 4.5 stars
October 30, 2023
when i think about this book, i think about how really not much happened. it was very repetitive, and i would say probably more character focused, but ultimately i did not LOVE this book by any means. however, i think back to how i felt while reading the book and i was never actively hating what i was reading so it isn’t that bad! also everyone hypes up the end / plot twists…. i guessed them all! but i think it’s just because i over thought every detail because people talk so much about them! overall, i will continue the series but this book is no where near my fav !
January 2, 2025
THE ENDING WAS SOOOO GOOD!!!! 4.25 stars!
I loveeee the setup and concept of this book. I was so engrossed at the beginning getting to learn about the jobs, politics, and characters in the prison. Such a unique setting! And the found family aspect that formed was greatttt.
The middle however did move slowww. BUT it was worth sticking through because of the ending. Twist after twist after twist 🤯🤯🤯
Sooo excited to start book 2
I loveeee the setup and concept of this book. I was so engrossed at the beginning getting to learn about the jobs, politics, and characters in the prison. Such a unique setting! And the found family aspect that formed was greatttt.
The middle however did move slowww. BUT it was worth sticking through because of the ending. Twist after twist after twist 🤯🤯🤯
Sooo excited to start book 2
August 21, 2023
Ending goes absolutely crazy
October 19, 2022
Things I liked:
- Mirryn. That's it.
Things I didn't like:
- Mirryn was only in it for like two pages
- it was slow and boring. The blurb made the Trials sound like the main conflict of the story, which they technically are, but most of the book is just Kiva going around between the Trials trying to figure things out and chatting with the other characters. The actual Trials were always over within a few pages, and the lull between them was a real slug to get through. It did not need to be 400 pages long.
- there is no subtlety in the writing. The author writes exactly what she means, and will often explain what she meant directly after when there was really no need. I get it. I can read.
- this style of writing made it very easy to predict what would happen. Nothing really came as a surprise.
- very basic elemental style magic system, nothing new or different to make it interesting.
- inconsistencies in the characters. Kiva makes a point early on that she heals anyone despite who they are or what they've done; murderers, rapists, rebels, whatever. There's then a point when she's investigating the illnesses with Naari that she admits she purposely made a guard's STI worse instead of healing him. Which I don't disagree with, make the rapist's rash worse by all means bestie, but it doesn't track with your characterisation.
- the romance between Jaren and Kiva was boring and flavourless. Jaren was fine, I found him respectful and pleasant, but like a lot of the main cast in this book, he was somewhat flat and boring, which bled into the romance.
- Kiva's fixation on believing that Naari and Jaren were together was annoying and juvenile and felt like I was reading a book set in high school, not a high security fantasy prison
- apparantly Kiva used to give her father, an adult man who was a healer by trade, tips on healing that he hadn't considered before. She was seven.
- the Trials were lame. If the whole thing is meant to be some grand gesture to symbolise the royal family's power then they could've been more epic. I was expecting an arena with elemental monsters or something. Instead Kiva had to jump off a building and sit in an oven for ten minutes.
- Kiva didn't pass any of the Trials without direct and essential help. She literally wouldn't have survived any of them if someone didn't save her every time. I get they're meant to he impossible or whatever, but it would've been nice if the main character figured at least one of the Trials out on her own.
- what was the point of Tipp getting sick?
- the healer-who-refuses-to-follow-her-own-advice-and-take-care-of-herself character quirk isn't endearing, it's annoying.
- how did Kiva not find out about the poison earlier? It was literally stored in her cupboard. This, like many of the other plot points, was flimsy.
- Kiva was being dramatic and hypocritical at the end. I also didn't care enough about the whole thing to be anything other than annoyed.
- Jaren is the Avatar.
- Kiva used her Deus Ex Machina healing powers on her adopted rodent child but not her own mother
- if I have to read the words Stay alive. Don't let her die. We are coming. one more time i will scream.
- Mirryn. That's it.
Things I didn't like:
- Mirryn was only in it for like two pages
- it was slow and boring. The blurb made the Trials sound like the main conflict of the story, which they technically are, but most of the book is just Kiva going around between the Trials trying to figure things out and chatting with the other characters. The actual Trials were always over within a few pages, and the lull between them was a real slug to get through. It did not need to be 400 pages long.
- there is no subtlety in the writing. The author writes exactly what she means, and will often explain what she meant directly after when there was really no need. I get it. I can read.
- this style of writing made it very easy to predict what would happen. Nothing really came as a surprise.
- very basic elemental style magic system, nothing new or different to make it interesting.
- inconsistencies in the characters. Kiva makes a point early on that she heals anyone despite who they are or what they've done; murderers, rapists, rebels, whatever. There's then a point when she's investigating the illnesses with Naari that she admits she purposely made a guard's STI worse instead of healing him. Which I don't disagree with, make the rapist's rash worse by all means bestie, but it doesn't track with your characterisation.
- the romance between Jaren and Kiva was boring and flavourless. Jaren was fine, I found him respectful and pleasant, but like a lot of the main cast in this book, he was somewhat flat and boring, which bled into the romance.
- Kiva's fixation on believing that Naari and Jaren were together was annoying and juvenile and felt like I was reading a book set in high school, not a high security fantasy prison
- apparantly Kiva used to give her father, an adult man who was a healer by trade, tips on healing that he hadn't considered before. She was seven.
- the Trials were lame. If the whole thing is meant to be some grand gesture to symbolise the royal family's power then they could've been more epic. I was expecting an arena with elemental monsters or something. Instead Kiva had to jump off a building and sit in an oven for ten minutes.
- Kiva didn't pass any of the Trials without direct and essential help. She literally wouldn't have survived any of them if someone didn't save her every time. I get they're meant to he impossible or whatever, but it would've been nice if the main character figured at least one of the Trials out on her own.
- what was the point of Tipp getting sick?
- the healer-who-refuses-to-follow-her-own-advice-and-take-care-of-herself character quirk isn't endearing, it's annoying.
- how did Kiva not find out about the poison earlier? It was literally stored in her cupboard. This, like many of the other plot points, was flimsy.
- Kiva was being dramatic and hypocritical at the end. I also didn't care enough about the whole thing to be anything other than annoyed.
- Jaren is the Avatar.
- Kiva used her Deus Ex Machina healing powers on her adopted rodent child but not her own mother
- if I have to read the words Stay alive. Don't let her die. We are coming. one more time i will scream.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2021
BRO THE ENDING TO THIS BOOK WENT CRAZY!! the author did SO amazing with the pacing and getting you attached to the characters. when i first went into this book i thought it was going to be a three star but i was so invested in the story. the ending was predictable but i STILL was shook.
September 29, 2024
4.5 ALE SZALONA PRZYGODA
halo ten plot twist na końcu to jakieś szaleństwo. Wspaniała książka 🥹🥹🥹
halo ten plot twist na końcu to jakieś szaleństwo. Wspaniała książka 🥹🥹🥹
May 20, 2024
—— 4✰ stars.
・❥・ Mood of the book:
: ̗̀➛ No Time To Die by Billie Eilish
: ̗̀➛ Lovely versioned by Lauren Babic & Seraphim
: ̗̀➛ Scars by Boy Epic
: ̗̀➛ Game of Survival by Ruelle
Initially, I was going to give it a score of 3.5✰ stars. because, although the beginning and the end are very fast and interesting, the 200 pages in the middle are very slow and sometimes a bit repetitive.
BUT!!! Let me tell u the ending was C-R-A-Z-Y. I fell on my ass, lost my wig and my fake nails in the process and spent 5 hours with my mouth open like an idiot. BUT OK OK, let’s get into the review besties!! This is going to be a little short since I was in a slump and it has been a hot minute since I read this.
I loved the worldbuilding and I can't wait for the next ones to know everything that Lynette Noni has created, and to continue exploring the magic, because yes, there is also magic in this book.
Kiva Meridan has been a healer in Zalindov for ten years, a deadly prison where survival is a challenge.
'Zalindov showed no mercy, not even to the innocent'
A deadly plague is infecting the prisoners and a rebellion is brewing. But one day, The Rebel Queen arrives, along with a note addressed to Kiva that says: 'Don't let her die, we are coming.' But, of course, things are not that easy, The Queen must face some deadly trials that will decide her fate, but she is sick, so Kiva, in an attempt to keep her alive, takes her place in the said trials. We also cannot forget that a new prisoner Jaren arrives (wink, wink, WINK)
As I already said, it has a very irregular pace, the first hundred pages keep you glued to the pages because you want to know everything about the world that Lynette Noni has written. During the middle, about two hundred pages, the pace slows down a lot, and it becomes a bit repetitive, since Kiva investigates the disease and thinks about the trials over and over again (it doesn't help that i was in a huge slump and with Covid hehehe) . The last pages are full of twists and the pacing is great again.
𝒦𝒾𝓋𝒶 ℳℯ𝓇𝒾𝒹𝒶𝓃:
If there is one word to define Kiva, it is brave. She takes her position as a healer very seriously and does whatever it takes to survive, even if it means being hated by others. She drives everyone away from her because getting attached to someone in Zalindov is dangerous. But she feels everything in a very deep way.
‘Attachments were dangerous at Zalindov. Caring only led to pain'
𝒥𝒶𝓇ℯ𝓃:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! Daddy. I mean!!!! Daddy. SORRY!!???? Daddy. Ok he is not Daddy but he is, ok??? And this makes complete sense. Jaren is the new prisoner, full of scars and blood, and who begins to get closer to Kiva (yes you guessed it bitch, he is the love interest). I don't want to say anything more about him because the author makes him mysterious on purpose, and who am I to break the mystery?
‘Take off your shirt and lie down’ ‘I’m flattered, but we barely know each other’
𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝓇ℴ𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒸ℯ:
'Sweetheart, I know'
It's very slow, not much really happens between them throughout the book, I don't mind it as I don't need romance to keep me interested, but I know there are people who do, so keep this in mind. BUT I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT HOW THE BOOK ENDS AAAAA.
'You have the prettiest eyes I have ever seen. Like the sunlight on the sea'
'I don't see you as some kind of damsel who needs rescuing. I've never met anyone stronger than you. So you are right, you don't need me fighting your battles, but if you'll let me I'd like to be standing beside you as you fight them'
𝒯𝒾𝓅𝓅 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒩𝒶𝒶𝓇𝒾:
They are good secondary characters, especially Tipp, who is a boy who has been in Zalindov all his life and Kiva takes care of him as if he were his little brother. And Naari is a guard.
'but it was his sunny personality that pulled her out of the shadows'
'Because once you give up in here'—she pointed to her heart—'then you are already as good as dead'
'She liked that he was concerned, that he cared enough to be angry. It was always she who was looking after others, not the other way around'
'Their story didn't end as it should have. But I know for a fact that they'd lived it all over again, even the ending, as long as it meant they could keep their beginning'
'Please. Don't look at me like that. Don't look at me like I'm broken'
Hope you enjoyed this mess of a review and that I might have convinced you to read it, since thats the whole purpose of it! Thank you so much if you read until the end. I love you 𓆩♡𓆪.
￫ old updates:
dec 24: SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!! WTF 💀💀💀💀💀 THAT ENDING ????????????? review to fucking come I guess ???
dec 04: THE PRISON IS WHERE I WOULD BE IF I COULD DO WHAT I WANT BUT ANYWAYS. 💅🏻 thank you so much who voted for this or for any other book and of course thank you Sara for choosing this book to be on the poll 💖 I love you.
‘never apologize for loving someone. Even if it hurts. Especially if it hurts’
・❥・ Mood of the book:
: ̗̀➛ No Time To Die by Billie Eilish
: ̗̀➛ Lovely versioned by Lauren Babic & Seraphim
: ̗̀➛ Scars by Boy Epic
: ̗̀➛ Game of Survival by Ruelle
Initially, I was going to give it a score of 3.5✰ stars. because, although the beginning and the end are very fast and interesting, the 200 pages in the middle are very slow and sometimes a bit repetitive.
BUT!!! Let me tell u the ending was C-R-A-Z-Y. I fell on my ass, lost my wig and my fake nails in the process and spent 5 hours with my mouth open like an idiot. BUT OK OK, let’s get into the review besties!! This is going to be a little short since I was in a slump and it has been a hot minute since I read this.
I loved the worldbuilding and I can't wait for the next ones to know everything that Lynette Noni has created, and to continue exploring the magic, because yes, there is also magic in this book.
════ ⋆𝒶𝒷ℴ𝓊𝓉 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓅𝓁ℴ𝓉⋆ ════
Kiva Meridan has been a healer in Zalindov for ten years, a deadly prison where survival is a challenge.
'Zalindov showed no mercy, not even to the innocent'
A deadly plague is infecting the prisoners and a rebellion is brewing. But one day, The Rebel Queen arrives, along with a note addressed to Kiva that says: 'Don't let her die, we are coming.' But, of course, things are not that easy, The Queen must face some deadly trials that will decide her fate, but she is sick, so Kiva, in an attempt to keep her alive, takes her place in the said trials. We also cannot forget that a new prisoner Jaren arrives (wink, wink, WINK)
════ ⋆𝒶𝒷ℴ𝓊𝓉 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓅𝒶𝒸𝒾𝓃𝑔⋆ ════
As I already said, it has a very irregular pace, the first hundred pages keep you glued to the pages because you want to know everything about the world that Lynette Noni has written. During the middle, about two hundred pages, the pace slows down a lot, and it becomes a bit repetitive, since Kiva investigates the disease and thinks about the trials over and over again (it doesn't help that i was in a huge slump and with Covid hehehe) . The last pages are full of twists and the pacing is great again.
════ ⋆𝒶𝒷ℴ𝓊𝓉 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉ℯ𝓇𝓈⋆ ════
𝒦𝒾𝓋𝒶 ℳℯ𝓇𝒾𝒹𝒶𝓃:
If there is one word to define Kiva, it is brave. She takes her position as a healer very seriously and does whatever it takes to survive, even if it means being hated by others. She drives everyone away from her because getting attached to someone in Zalindov is dangerous. But she feels everything in a very deep way.
‘Attachments were dangerous at Zalindov. Caring only led to pain'
𝒥𝒶𝓇ℯ𝓃:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! Daddy. I mean!!!! Daddy. SORRY!!???? Daddy. Ok he is not Daddy but he is, ok??? And this makes complete sense. Jaren is the new prisoner, full of scars and blood, and who begins to get closer to Kiva (yes you guessed it bitch, he is the love interest). I don't want to say anything more about him because the author makes him mysterious on purpose, and who am I to break the mystery?
‘Take off your shirt and lie down’ ‘I’m flattered, but we barely know each other’
𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝓇ℴ𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒸ℯ:
'Sweetheart, I know'
It's very slow, not much really happens between them throughout the book, I don't mind it as I don't need romance to keep me interested, but I know there are people who do, so keep this in mind. BUT I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT HOW THE BOOK ENDS AAAAA.
'You have the prettiest eyes I have ever seen. Like the sunlight on the sea'
'I don't see you as some kind of damsel who needs rescuing. I've never met anyone stronger than you. So you are right, you don't need me fighting your battles, but if you'll let me I'd like to be standing beside you as you fight them'
𝒯𝒾𝓅𝓅 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒩𝒶𝒶𝓇𝒾:
They are good secondary characters, especially Tipp, who is a boy who has been in Zalindov all his life and Kiva takes care of him as if he were his little brother. And Naari is a guard.
'but it was his sunny personality that pulled her out of the shadows'
════ ⋆𝓆𝓊ℴ𝓉ℯ𝓈 𝐼 ℯ𝓃𝒿ℴ𝓎ℯ𝒹⋆ ════
'Because once you give up in here'—she pointed to her heart—'then you are already as good as dead'
'She liked that he was concerned, that he cared enough to be angry. It was always she who was looking after others, not the other way around'
'Their story didn't end as it should have. But I know for a fact that they'd lived it all over again, even the ending, as long as it meant they could keep their beginning'
'Please. Don't look at me like that. Don't look at me like I'm broken'
Hope you enjoyed this mess of a review and that I might have convinced you to read it, since thats the whole purpose of it! Thank you so much if you read until the end. I love you 𓆩♡𓆪.
￫ old updates:
dec 24: SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!! WTF 💀💀💀💀💀 THAT ENDING ????????????? review to fucking come I guess ???
dec 04: THE PRISON IS WHERE I WOULD BE IF I COULD DO WHAT I WANT BUT ANYWAYS. 💅🏻 thank you so much who voted for this or for any other book and of course thank you Sara for choosing this book to be on the poll 💖 I love you.
November 6, 2023
3.5⭐️ I wasn't bored, but I wanted more 😩
I didn't have any big issues with this book. Tbh, I just didn't care about the characters. It felt like they all acted on emotions and had little personality and nothing set them apart for me. It would also have been pretty cool to meet the cliques and other prisoners- maybe in the next two books? The plot and world building was fine.
Kiva is a prison healer while waiting for her family who are a part of a rebel group to come rescue her. There is no need for you to try remembering this information because it was mentioned 252 times 😭.
Kiva is selfless with a matyr complex because, obviously she's a modern day, fmc of a fantasy novel and what is her personality if she doesn't have a savior complex and isn'thealing killing with kindness.
She meets prison heartthrob, Jaren and tries not crush on while exchanging heart eyes with him over patients.
Enters Tilda, the rebel queen who is barely hanging on to life and in Kiva's infirmary and has to go through four elemental trials which long story short, is meant to kill her. Kiva volunteers to take her place.
It was interesting enough to keep readingespecially with those two big twists in the last 100 pages but not engaging enough to have me caring whether Kiva survived certain death the trials posed or not.
***
all I want to say is, I have high expectations for this one 😌✋🏽
I didn't have any big issues with this book. Tbh, I just didn't care about the characters. It felt like they all acted on emotions and had little personality and nothing set them apart for me. It would also have been pretty cool to meet the cliques and other prisoners- maybe in the next two books? The plot and world building was fine.
Kiva is a prison healer while waiting for her family who are a part of a rebel group to come rescue her. There is no need for you to try remembering this information because it was mentioned 252 times 😭.
Kiva is selfless with a matyr complex because, obviously she's a modern day, fmc of a fantasy novel and what is her personality if she doesn't have a savior complex and isn't
She meets prison heartthrob, Jaren and tries not crush on while exchanging heart eyes with him over patients.
Enters Tilda, the rebel queen who is barely hanging on to life and in Kiva's infirmary and has to go through four elemental trials which long story short, is meant to kill her. Kiva volunteers to take her place.
It was interesting enough to keep reading
***
all I want to say is, I have high expectations for this one 😌✋🏽
December 30, 2024
Guys please don’t come for me I was just so painfully bored the entire time. Everyone told me the ending will make up for the book being so slow…. I fear I did unfortunately find it very predictable so I felt absolutely nothing. Don’t hate me.
Honestly as someone who usually has a LOT to say… I feel like there’s really not much to elaborate on other than the fact that like literally nothing happened for 95% of this book. We spent so much time in the FMCs head with her constantly asking the same questions over and over again, so many times I asked myself “haven’t I already read this scene”. Kiva also just gave me nothing. I didn’t like or dislike her, she was just there. She was also dumb so there’s that.
There was potential for a fun little romance to brew but like the romance also gave me nothing??? Idk I felt zero chemistry between Kiva and Jaren.
Jaren was also…. There.
I also feel robbed because I essentially read this for the insane plot twist everyone raves about but I did predict it happening from the beginning so it didn’t make up for the book being so slow and uneventful. But I literally wouldn’t mind this being predictable at all if the story as a whole was interesting to me….. it wasn’t.
No I won’t be reading book 2.
Honestly as someone who usually has a LOT to say… I feel like there’s really not much to elaborate on other than the fact that like literally nothing happened for 95% of this book. We spent so much time in the FMCs head with her constantly asking the same questions over and over again, so many times I asked myself “haven’t I already read this scene”. Kiva also just gave me nothing. I didn’t like or dislike her, she was just there. She was also dumb so there’s that.
There was potential for a fun little romance to brew but like the romance also gave me nothing??? Idk I felt zero chemistry between Kiva and Jaren.
Jaren was also…. There.
I also feel robbed because I essentially read this for the insane plot twist everyone raves about but I did predict it happening from the beginning so it didn’t make up for the book being so slow and uneventful. But I literally wouldn’t mind this being predictable at all if the story as a whole was interesting to me….. it wasn’t.
No I won’t be reading book 2.
May 29, 2025
⤷4.5! I really loved the unique prison setting in this!!! I also enjoyed Kiva's character, being a healer (different than most other fmcs) but also so fierce and lovable. I adored Jaren (best golden retriever boy) and Kiva's cute romance - he cared for her sm 🙂↕️ The way they protect each other and work through really hard times got me 🥹 The middle was slower but I'm just a sucker for plots where the characters just do smaller things building up to the big event - it was kind of like we're exploring Zalindov too 🤭 All of the side characters are literally my loves <33 Both the plot of trials and mysterious illness were both interesting, and that plot twist at the end was so worth it!!! (aka my jaw was on the floor)
[It was only when she'd cried her last that sleep finally found her, and she drifted off wrapped in Jaren's embrace, feeling safe and protected for the first time in years.]
[It was only when she'd cried her last that sleep finally found her, and she drifted off wrapped in Jaren's embrace, feeling safe and protected for the first time in years.]
March 19, 2026
WHAT??? HUH??? HELLO???
THAT HIT HARD 😭 WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT CLIFFHANGER???
HELLOOOO??? OMG!!! 🤯 Never in my life would I have guessed that plot twist 😭 I’M LITERALLY SHOCKED 😭 I had to read that part again… 👀
This book was sooo good, omg 🥹🤭 and that plot twist punched me in the gut 😭 What’s going to happen now??? 👀😭
Ok, let’s start from the beginning 😭 The beginning was so emotional 😭 I wasn’t expecting such an emotional moment this early, but it is what it is 😔
The middle was so good 👀🤭 The slow burn was slow-burning, y’all 🙂↕️ and then it just… vanished 😃 That’s why I have to read the second book to satiate myself 🙂↕️
The ending??? Yea, that shocked the heck outta me 😭 I was NOT expecting that 😭 And at one point, I thought I was gonna ugly cry 😭🫂 I’m still shook.
Now let’s talk about the characters 🙂↕️
Kiva is sooo brave and strong 🥹 The prologue really broke my heart, and when she shared more of her past, I was sobbing 😭 because ain’t no way my sweetheart deserved that 🤧🫠 And when the ending came, it startled the life out of me 😭 LIKE WHAAAAAAT???
Jaren is the kind of guy who, whenever he interacts with Kiva, automatically makes you giggle and smile 😔 And then Jaren ALSO left me wide-eyed 😭 Why is everyone hiding something up their sleeves??? 😭 Anyway, protect this guy at all costs 😼
Tipp is sooo adorable, omg 🥹🥹 He really scared me 😭 I had to close the book and convince myself to keep reading 😭 But I love this kid so much 🥹🫂 He deserves the world 🙂↕️
Naari literally stole my heart 👀 She’s a diva, fr 🙂↕️ I need more of her in the next book. Istg, if Miss Author does something to her, I’ll ugly cry 😭 No, that alternative is unacceptable.
Mot really made me emotional in the end 😭 I wanted him to join, but- 🤧🫂
Overall, I’m (still) shook. I enjoyed this so much. Definitely worth the hype, and I can’t wait to start the second book 🤭
Yea, that’s it guys. Love y’all 🫶💙
—————————————
˖᯽ ݁˖ pre-read ˖᯽ ݁˖
Not to brag, but I’m reading this trilogy for the first time 🤭💙
THAT HIT HARD 😭 WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT CLIFFHANGER???
HELLOOOO??? OMG!!! 🤯 Never in my life would I have guessed that plot twist 😭 I’M LITERALLY SHOCKED 😭 I had to read that part again… 👀
This book was sooo good, omg 🥹🤭 and that plot twist punched me in the gut 😭 What’s going to happen now??? 👀😭
Ok, let’s start from the beginning 😭 The beginning was so emotional 😭 I wasn’t expecting such an emotional moment this early, but it is what it is 😔
The middle was so good 👀🤭 The slow burn was slow-burning, y’all 🙂↕️ and then it just… vanished 😃 That’s why I have to read the second book to satiate myself 🙂↕️
The ending??? Yea, that shocked the heck outta me 😭 I was NOT expecting that 😭 And at one point, I thought I was gonna ugly cry 😭🫂 I’m still shook.
Now let’s talk about the characters 🙂↕️
Kiva is sooo brave and strong 🥹 The prologue really broke my heart, and when she shared more of her past, I was sobbing 😭 because ain’t no way my sweetheart deserved that 🤧🫠 And when the ending came, it startled the life out of me 😭 LIKE WHAAAAAAT???
Jaren is the kind of guy who, whenever he interacts with Kiva, automatically makes you giggle and smile 😔 And then Jaren ALSO left me wide-eyed 😭 Why is everyone hiding something up their sleeves??? 😭 Anyway, protect this guy at all costs 😼
Tipp is sooo adorable, omg 🥹🥹 He really scared me 😭 I had to close the book and convince myself to keep reading 😭 But I love this kid so much 🥹🫂 He deserves the world 🙂↕️
Naari literally stole my heart 👀 She’s a diva, fr 🙂↕️ I need more of her in the next book. Istg, if Miss Author does something to her, I’ll ugly cry 😭 No, that alternative is unacceptable.
Mot really made me emotional in the end 😭 I wanted him to join, but- 🤧🫂
Overall, I’m (still) shook. I enjoyed this so much. Definitely worth the hype, and I can’t wait to start the second book 🤭
Yea, that’s it guys. Love y’all 🫶💙
—————————————
˖᯽ ݁˖ pre-read ˖᯽ ݁˖
Not to brag, but I’m reading this trilogy for the first time 🤭💙
October 4, 2024
3.5 stars ⭐️
⤷ spoilers ahead!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
“Never apologize for loving someone. Even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.”
i was going to rate this book 3.25 stars initially. the plot was intriguing, but the pacing felt very slow. however, the unexpected twists at the end took me by surprise.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ kiva
kiva is selfless and brave. she has done whatever it takes to survive 10 years in prison, and avoids attachments to protect herself but still cares deeply about others. as the prison healer, she takes her job very seriously and does everything she can for the prisoners, even when some of them despise her and are unappreciative. anyway, her trials were absolutely TRAUMATIZING and she didn’t deserve any of that shit 😭😭😭 also, my jaw dropped when it was revealed that she is the rebel princess at the end of the book. i didn’t see it coming AT ALL, and it made her interactions with tilda even sadder 😭
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ jaren
if you have seen my updates, you would know how much i LOVE jaren. i had a feeling he was more important than just a regular prisoner from the moment he arrived in the prison, but i didn’t suspect he was the PRINCE. i kept thinking, “if kiva ends up with the prince instead of jaren, i’m going to scream”… i feel so silly now 😭 sometimes i think i read without using my brain because i’m so slow/bad at predicting things in books LOL.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ kiva and jaren
jaren was always there for kiva from the moment he arrived in the prison, and my guy saved her not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES 😭😭😭
“I’m not going anywhere, Kiva. You’re not in this alone. Any of it.”
“. . . Why, Jaren? Why save me?”
“Because you’re good, Kiva. I’ve watched you with the other prisoners—even people like Cresta, who go out of their way to make your life miserable—and you treat all of them the same. Hell, you even treat the Rebel Queen like the rest of them. Better, even. And I know you’ve already told me why, just as I know I’ll never fully understand. But I don’t have to, because I can see your heart. You didn’t deserve to die, and it was within my power to keep you alive. So I did.”
“If you weren’t getting information and you were never a real prisoner, then why didn’t you just leave?”
“Because I found a reason to stay.”
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ other characters
i adore tipp so much, and teared up when he was dying 🥲 i really like naari and mot too, and i’m a bit sad that mot sacrificed himself so the others could escape :(
overall, i enjoyed this book, and the rest of the series looks promising. i hope i’ll like the gilded cage even more 🤞🏻
pre-read:
tysm to everyone who voted/commented on my first ever poll <3 this book won by a lot of votes and a few of you were raving about it in the comments, so i’m looking forward to seeing what’s so good about this series!!
⤷ spoilers ahead!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
“Never apologize for loving someone. Even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.”
i was going to rate this book 3.25 stars initially. the plot was intriguing, but the pacing felt very slow. however, the unexpected twists at the end took me by surprise.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ kiva
kiva is selfless and brave. she has done whatever it takes to survive 10 years in prison, and avoids attachments to protect herself but still cares deeply about others. as the prison healer, she takes her job very seriously and does everything she can for the prisoners, even when some of them despise her and are unappreciative. anyway, her trials were absolutely TRAUMATIZING and she didn’t deserve any of that shit 😭😭😭 also, my jaw dropped when it was revealed that she is the rebel princess at the end of the book. i didn’t see it coming AT ALL, and it made her interactions with tilda even sadder 😭
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ jaren
if you have seen my updates, you would know how much i LOVE jaren. i had a feeling he was more important than just a regular prisoner from the moment he arrived in the prison, but i didn’t suspect he was the PRINCE. i kept thinking, “if kiva ends up with the prince instead of jaren, i’m going to scream”… i feel so silly now 😭 sometimes i think i read without using my brain because i’m so slow/bad at predicting things in books LOL.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ kiva and jaren
jaren was always there for kiva from the moment he arrived in the prison, and my guy saved her not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES 😭😭😭
“I’m not going anywhere, Kiva. You’re not in this alone. Any of it.”
“. . . Why, Jaren? Why save me?”
“Because you’re good, Kiva. I’ve watched you with the other prisoners—even people like Cresta, who go out of their way to make your life miserable—and you treat all of them the same. Hell, you even treat the Rebel Queen like the rest of them. Better, even. And I know you’ve already told me why, just as I know I’ll never fully understand. But I don’t have to, because I can see your heart. You didn’t deserve to die, and it was within my power to keep you alive. So I did.”
“If you weren’t getting information and you were never a real prisoner, then why didn’t you just leave?”
“Because I found a reason to stay.”
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ other characters
i adore tipp so much, and teared up when he was dying 🥲 i really like naari and mot too, and i’m a bit sad that mot sacrificed himself so the others could escape :(
overall, i enjoyed this book, and the rest of the series looks promising. i hope i’ll like the gilded cage even more 🤞🏻
pre-read:
tysm to everyone who voted/commented on my first ever poll <3 this book won by a lot of votes and a few of you were raving about it in the comments, so i’m looking forward to seeing what’s so good about this series!!
November 21, 2025
. 𖡼𖤣𖥧 4.25 stars ㅤ𖡼.𖤣𖥧
‧˚₊•┈ ❛❛ 𝘚𝘰 𝑦𝘰𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵, 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝑑𝘰𝑛'𝘵 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝘰𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑎𝘵𝘵𝑙𝑒𝑠. 𝛣𝑢𝘵 ... 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝘰𝑢'𝑙𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝘵 𝑚𝑒, 𝐼'𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝘵𝘰 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝘵𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝑎𝑠 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵 𝘵ℎ𝑒𝑚. ❜❜ ┈•₊˚⊹
I AM UNWELL. The ending had me like 👄
⤿ ⛓️┆tropes
✎ deadly trials
✎ found family
✎ oppressive prison setting
✎ political intrigue & rebellion
✎ slow burn
✎ who did this to you?
❕note: this review doesn’t contain major spoilers but if you don’t want to know anything about this book AT ALL before going into it (because I’m very much like this), then I’d maybe suggest skipping the ‘the ending’ portion!❕
⤿ 🏯┆story…
The Prison Healer centres around Kiva Meridan - a healer who has grown up in, or more accurately described as survived in Zalindov, a prison notorious for its isolation and brutality. For ten years, Kiva has lived a purposely solitary life, making herself as small and invisible as possible in order to survive the ruthlessness that is Zalindov.
That all comes to pass when the Rebel Queen falls at her doorstep, or should I say operating table, too ill to participate in a never-survived-before trial bestowed upon her. Of course, Kiva volunteers in her stead. How could it get worse? you wonder. Well, a plague has started to sweep across the prison, and Kiva is the one who has to shoulder the burden of curing it. And because life’s curveballs always come in threes, let’s throw in some growing feelings towards a mysterious new inmate that need navigating too.
A prison setting mixed with deadly trials is such a unique and intriguing concept to me. Each trial had enough build up and suspense to the point it felt like I was the one participating, or at the very least someone I loved was.
Now I’ll be honest, I didn’t fall head over heels in love with this novel straight away due to its longer, slightly repetitive passages. But I actually came to really savour these slower moments later on. Kiva has quite literally been trapped in a hellish prison for ten. whole. years. a monotonous existence that would - I think - very understandably reflect in how the story can be told.
⤿ 🌸┆characters…
The prison setting is what enticed me, but the characters are what KEPT me. I got so incredibly absorbed into them, they are MINE (sorry Dawn, you’ll have to pry them from my cold dead hands). They were all just so freaking pure - Kiva, Jaren, TIPP🥺, Naari, even Mot (he’s a lil’ bit obsessed with death but that’s okay, we all have our quirks☝🏻).
The found family was tugging tugging tugging at my heartstrings in this one. The protectiveness they felt towards each other? GAH.
𖡼𖤣𖥧 Kiva 𖡼𖤣𖥧
Definition of hard shell, softest heart. Kiva was only a baby when she had her world swept from under her 🥺; how she has remained good after all she’s endured is beyond me. Of course, she is flawed and has done what she can to survive (LAYERS PEOPLE, LAYERS).
“𝛨𝘰𝑝𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑢𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝛫𝑖𝜈𝑎, 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑐𝘵.”
But after being trapped in a brutal prison for an entire decade, she somehow still has hope. After her fellow cellmates call her “healer whore” time and time and time again, she somehow still extends her compassion towards everyone. Even when she tries her best not to care too deeply, she still risks her life for others.
If anyone deserves more than the shit the world has dealt them, it’s her. If anyone wishes her harm, here’s a little forehead kiss for ya ╾━╤デ╦︻(•_-).
𖡼𖤣𖥧 Tipp 𖡼𖤣𖥧
Someone else who deserves better is my baby Tipp 🥹. MY POOR SWEET SUMMER CHILD. He is just so painfully innocent, I wish I could adopt him. Scratch that, I WILL ADOPT HIM (let’s just pretend he’s real okay? 👉🏻👈🏻). Like I found myself seriously considering it and I genuinely would. In a heartbeat. No questions asked.
Taking co-parenting applications effective immediately… ✍🏻
He’s what I imagine Kiva being like when she was younger. Perhaps that’s why Kiva feels maternal towards him - she couldn’t protect her past self so she tries to protect Tipp instead 🙁.(Why in the fuck do I do this to myself?)
𖡼𖤣𖥧 Jaren 𖡼𖤣𖥧
Jaren. Jaren Jaren Jaren Jaren.
One of the worst things in the world is reading a book and then realising the man in said book and therefore his actions and words are fictional.
“𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝜈𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝘵ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼 𝑠𝑎𝑦, 𝑠𝘵𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑓𝑟𝘰𝑚 ℎ𝑒𝑟.” “𝐼 𝜈𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑒𝜈𝑒𝑟𝑦𝘵ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝑠𝑎𝑦, 𝛫𝑖𝜈𝑎.”
He’s quite mysterious yet we love him anyway due to the simple fact of him being down bad for our Kiva. Unyielding faith in her?
“𝘑𝑢𝑠𝘵… 𝑙𝘰𝘰𝑘 𝑎𝑓𝘵𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑖𝑚, 𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒?” “𝐼’𝑙𝑙 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑦𝑒 𝘰𝑛 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝘵ℎ𝑒 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙, 𝑏𝑢𝘵 𝑎𝑓𝘵𝑒𝑟 𝘵ℎ𝑎𝘵, 𝑦𝘰𝑢’𝑙𝑙 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑙𝘰𝘰𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑓𝘵𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑦𝘰𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓.”
Check. Always giving her steady and solid support?
“𝛮𝑒𝜈𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑝𝘰𝑙𝘰𝑔𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑓𝘰𝑟 𝑙𝘰𝜈𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝘰𝑚𝑒𝘰𝑛𝑒. 𝛦𝜈𝑒𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝘵 ℎ𝑢𝑟𝘵𝑠. 𝛦𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝘵 ℎ𝑢𝑟𝘵𝑠.”
Check. Being attuned to her so acutely?
"𝐼'𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑒." 𝛨𝑖𝑠 𝘵ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑏 𝑠𝘵𝑟𝘰𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝘵ℎ𝑒𝑟-𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝘵 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛. "𝐼𝘵'𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵 𝑛𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝑏𝑒." 𝛫𝑖𝜈𝑎 𝑠𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙𝘰𝑤𝑒𝑑. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙𝘰𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛. 𝛣𝑢𝘵 𝘵ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑝 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝘵ℎ𝑟𝘰𝑎𝘵 𝑤𝘰𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝘵 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝘰𝑙𝜈𝑒. 𝛢𝑛𝑑 𝘵ℎ𝑒 𝘵𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝘰𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝘵 𝑠𝘵𝘰𝑝 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔.
CHECK.
Of course, because all my favourite characters simply must go through something traumatic in this book, Jaren is no different😖.
“𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒, 𝑑𝘰𝑛’𝘵 𝑙𝘰𝘰𝑘 𝑎𝘵 𝑚𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝘵ℎ𝑎𝘵. 𝐷𝘰𝑛’𝘵 𝑙𝘰𝘰𝑘 𝑎𝘵 𝑚𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝐼’𝑚 𝑏𝑟𝘰𝑘𝑒𝑛.”
It’s settled. I’m adopting them all (•̀ᴗ•́ )و.
𖡼𖤣𖥧 Naari 𖡼𖤣𖥧
A quiet supporter. Naari won me over from the offset when she acted like an actual decent human being rather than those other scummy prison guards (I pray upon their death 🫶🏻). I don’t think she actually knows how to stop being a complete and utter queen, I long to be as cool as her.
𖡼𖤣𖥧 Mot 𖡼𖤣𖥧
Well, Mot’s just a bloody legend.
⤿ 🦠┆the ending…
My mouth was AGAPE.
A.G.A.P.E.
Lynette Noni you sly sly woman for making me and Dawn think we were clever 🫵🏻, for making my ego go through the roof and then plummet back down into nothing. Nothing.
Such a head slap moment. I was mimicking a fish.
⤿ 🦋┆overall
Kiva and her surrogate family completely stole my heart away and maybe they’ll steal yours too ᰔ. Just bear in mind if a slower plot progression isn’t your thing then this may not be the one for you. <3
. 𖡼𖤣𖥧 love letter to Dawn ㅤ𖡼.𖤣𖥧
Thank you sooo much for being my yapping partner whilst reading this bestie, and for putting up with my absolute mess upon mess of thoughts. I am your biggest fan, love you always 💌 (if you apologise one more time for your reading schedule, I will kill you) ᰔ
🍄🟫‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈୨୧┈┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹🍄🟫
꒰ the prison healer 🌷
⌗﹒ 01 the prison healer ~ 4.25✮
⌗﹒ 02 the gilded cage ~ ?✮
⌗﹒ 03 the blood traitor ~ ?✮
‧˚₊•┈ ❛❛ 𝘚𝘰 𝑦𝘰𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵, 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝑑𝘰𝑛'𝘵 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝘰𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑎𝘵𝘵𝑙𝑒𝑠. 𝛣𝑢𝘵 ... 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝘰𝑢'𝑙𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝘵 𝑚𝑒, 𝐼'𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝘵𝘰 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝘵𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝑎𝑠 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵 𝘵ℎ𝑒𝑚. ❜❜ ┈•₊˚⊹
I AM UNWELL. The ending had me like 👄
⤿ ⛓️┆tropes
✎ deadly trials
✎ found family
✎ oppressive prison setting
✎ political intrigue & rebellion
✎ slow burn
✎ who did this to you?
❕note: this review doesn’t contain major spoilers but if you don’t want to know anything about this book AT ALL before going into it (because I’m very much like this), then I’d maybe suggest skipping the ‘the ending’ portion!❕
⤿ 🏯┆story…
The Prison Healer centres around Kiva Meridan - a healer who has grown up in, or more accurately described as survived in Zalindov, a prison notorious for its isolation and brutality. For ten years, Kiva has lived a purposely solitary life, making herself as small and invisible as possible in order to survive the ruthlessness that is Zalindov.
That all comes to pass when the Rebel Queen falls at her doorstep, or should I say operating table, too ill to participate in a never-survived-before trial bestowed upon her. Of course, Kiva volunteers in her stead. How could it get worse? you wonder. Well, a plague has started to sweep across the prison, and Kiva is the one who has to shoulder the burden of curing it. And because life’s curveballs always come in threes, let’s throw in some growing feelings towards a mysterious new inmate that need navigating too.
A prison setting mixed with deadly trials is such a unique and intriguing concept to me. Each trial had enough build up and suspense to the point it felt like I was the one participating, or at the very least someone I loved was.
Now I’ll be honest, I didn’t fall head over heels in love with this novel straight away due to its longer, slightly repetitive passages. But I actually came to really savour these slower moments later on. Kiva has quite literally been trapped in a hellish prison for ten. whole. years. a monotonous existence that would - I think - very understandably reflect in how the story can be told.
⤿ 🌸┆characters…
The prison setting is what enticed me, but the characters are what KEPT me. I got so incredibly absorbed into them, they are MINE (sorry Dawn, you’ll have to pry them from my cold dead hands). They were all just so freaking pure - Kiva, Jaren, TIPP🥺, Naari, even Mot (he’s a lil’ bit obsessed with death but that’s okay, we all have our quirks☝🏻).
The found family was tugging tugging tugging at my heartstrings in this one. The protectiveness they felt towards each other? GAH.
𖡼𖤣𖥧 Kiva 𖡼𖤣𖥧
Definition of hard shell, softest heart. Kiva was only a baby when she had her world swept from under her 🥺; how she has remained good after all she’s endured is beyond me. Of course, she is flawed and has done what she can to survive (LAYERS PEOPLE, LAYERS).
“𝛨𝘰𝑝𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑢𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝛫𝑖𝜈𝑎, 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑐𝘵.”
But after being trapped in a brutal prison for an entire decade, she somehow still has hope. After her fellow cellmates call her “healer whore” time and time and time again, she somehow still extends her compassion towards everyone. Even when she tries her best not to care too deeply, she still risks her life for others.
If anyone deserves more than the shit the world has dealt them, it’s her. If anyone wishes her harm, here’s a little forehead kiss for ya ╾━╤デ╦︻(•_-).
𖡼𖤣𖥧 Tipp 𖡼𖤣𖥧
Someone else who deserves better is my baby Tipp 🥹. MY POOR SWEET SUMMER CHILD. He is just so painfully innocent, I wish I could adopt him. Scratch that, I WILL ADOPT HIM (let’s just pretend he’s real okay? 👉🏻👈🏻). Like I found myself seriously considering it and I genuinely would. In a heartbeat. No questions asked.
Taking co-parenting applications effective immediately… ✍🏻
He’s what I imagine Kiva being like when she was younger. Perhaps that’s why Kiva feels maternal towards him - she couldn’t protect her past self so she tries to protect Tipp instead 🙁.
𖡼𖤣𖥧 Jaren 𖡼𖤣𖥧
Jaren. Jaren Jaren Jaren Jaren.
One of the worst things in the world is reading a book and then realising the man in said book and therefore his actions and words are fictional.
“𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝜈𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝘵ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼 𝑠𝑎𝑦, 𝑠𝘵𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑓𝑟𝘰𝑚 ℎ𝑒𝑟.” “𝐼 𝜈𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑒𝜈𝑒𝑟𝑦𝘵ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝘰𝑢 𝑠𝑎𝑦, 𝛫𝑖𝜈𝑎.”
He’s quite mysterious yet we love him anyway due to the simple fact of him being down bad for our Kiva. Unyielding faith in her?
“𝘑𝑢𝑠𝘵… 𝑙𝘰𝘰𝑘 𝑎𝑓𝘵𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑖𝑚, 𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒?” “𝐼’𝑙𝑙 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑦𝑒 𝘰𝑛 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝘵ℎ𝑒 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙, 𝑏𝑢𝘵 𝑎𝑓𝘵𝑒𝑟 𝘵ℎ𝑎𝘵, 𝑦𝘰𝑢’𝑙𝑙 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑙𝘰𝘰𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑓𝘵𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑦𝘰𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓.”
Check. Always giving her steady and solid support?
“𝛮𝑒𝜈𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑝𝘰𝑙𝘰𝑔𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑓𝘰𝑟 𝑙𝘰𝜈𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝘰𝑚𝑒𝘰𝑛𝑒. 𝛦𝜈𝑒𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝘵 ℎ𝑢𝑟𝘵𝑠. 𝛦𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝘵 ℎ𝑢𝑟𝘵𝑠.”
Check. Being attuned to her so acutely?
"𝐼'𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑒." 𝛨𝑖𝑠 𝘵ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑏 𝑠𝘵𝑟𝘰𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝘵ℎ𝑒𝑟-𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝘵 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛. "𝐼𝘵'𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵 𝑛𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝑏𝑒." 𝛫𝑖𝜈𝑎 𝑠𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙𝘰𝑤𝑒𝑑. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙𝘰𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛. 𝛣𝑢𝘵 𝘵ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑝 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝘵ℎ𝑟𝘰𝑎𝘵 𝑤𝘰𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝘵 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝘰𝑙𝜈𝑒. 𝛢𝑛𝑑 𝘵ℎ𝑒 𝘵𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝘰𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝘵 𝑠𝘵𝘰𝑝 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔.
CHECK.
Of course, because all my favourite characters simply must go through something traumatic in this book, Jaren is no different😖.
“𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒, 𝑑𝘰𝑛’𝘵 𝑙𝘰𝘰𝑘 𝑎𝘵 𝑚𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝘵ℎ𝑎𝘵. 𝐷𝘰𝑛’𝘵 𝑙𝘰𝘰𝑘 𝑎𝘵 𝑚𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝐼’𝑚 𝑏𝑟𝘰𝑘𝑒𝑛.”
It’s settled. I’m adopting them all (•̀ᴗ•́ )و.
𖡼𖤣𖥧 Naari 𖡼𖤣𖥧
A quiet supporter. Naari won me over from the offset when she acted like an actual decent human being rather than those other scummy prison guards (I pray upon their death 🫶🏻). I don’t think she actually knows how to stop being a complete and utter queen, I long to be as cool as her.
𖡼𖤣𖥧 Mot 𖡼𖤣𖥧
Well, Mot’s just a bloody legend.
⤿ 🦠┆the ending…
My mouth was AGAPE.
A.G.A.P.E.
Lynette Noni you sly sly woman for making me and Dawn think we were clever 🫵🏻, for making my ego go through the roof and then plummet back down into nothing. Nothing.
Such a head slap moment. I was mimicking a fish.
⤿ 🦋┆overall
Kiva and her surrogate family completely stole my heart away and maybe they’ll steal yours too ᰔ. Just bear in mind if a slower plot progression isn’t your thing then this may not be the one for you. <3
. 𖡼𖤣𖥧 love letter to Dawn ㅤ𖡼.𖤣𖥧
Thank you sooo much for being my yapping partner whilst reading this bestie, and for putting up with my absolute mess upon mess of thoughts. I am your biggest fan, love you always 💌 (if you apologise one more time for your reading schedule, I will kill you) ᰔ
🍄🟫‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈୨୧┈┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹🍄🟫
꒰ the prison healer 🌷
⌗﹒ 01 the prison healer ~ 4.25✮
⌗﹒ 02 the gilded cage ~ ?✮
⌗﹒ 03 the blood traitor ~ ?✮
March 25, 2025
5⭐️
SHAMBLESSS!! I AM IN SHAMBLES. When I first picked this up, I was NOT expecting this to turn out to be a contender for one of my favorite fantasy books. But here we are, and I LOVE IT!
I was so blown away by how much I loved the characters in this book. Not just Kiva, the FMC, but all of the side characters and the love interest Jaren. When I tell you that it's impossible not to love these characters, I wholeheartedly mean it. The minor characters just pulled the story together and by the end of the book you're just astonished with the journey you just had with them. Kiva was such an amazing lead character. Her love for her family and friends was till death do us part and she truly meant that. She was badass and carried herself like no other. Tipp was probably my favorite side character. I MEAN IF YOU'VE READ THIS YOU KNOW WHY! Naari was a close second and Jaren? GOLDEN RETRIEVER ENERGY at its finest.
The plot of this book PLOTTED! Not only do we get the characters journey, but the politics and magic in this system was wild. I'm a sucker for a good fantasy with politics and after reading so many of them, this is up there. I was engaged the entire time; I was not bored for a single second. This was such a fast read and you get sucked in immediately. While this was Young Adult, it didn't really feel that way because of the writing and complexity of the plot. 10/10 yes. Just yes.
I actually ordered the rest of the series the other day and they're supposed to arrive shortly so best believe I'm starting the second book as soon as it comes in. I am just so IMMERSED! It caught my attention and now I just need to read the whole series. I had a prediction at the beginning of this book that I'd love it, but I was surprised at just how much.
Side note: BE PREPARED FOR A CLIFF-HANGER AT THE END!! If you know, you know. The second book immediately is a MUST. I am so so excited. My jaw was on the floor at the shock factor. Literally so insane. I will not be forgetting this for a longgg while!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really need a young adult fantasy and this has been on my shelf for a while so I'm ready to dive in 🙂↔️
SHAMBLESSS!! I AM IN SHAMBLES. When I first picked this up, I was NOT expecting this to turn out to be a contender for one of my favorite fantasy books. But here we are, and I LOVE IT!
I was so blown away by how much I loved the characters in this book. Not just Kiva, the FMC, but all of the side characters and the love interest Jaren. When I tell you that it's impossible not to love these characters, I wholeheartedly mean it. The minor characters just pulled the story together and by the end of the book you're just astonished with the journey you just had with them. Kiva was such an amazing lead character. Her love for her family and friends was till death do us part and she truly meant that. She was badass and carried herself like no other. Tipp was probably my favorite side character. I MEAN IF YOU'VE READ THIS YOU KNOW WHY! Naari was a close second and Jaren? GOLDEN RETRIEVER ENERGY at its finest.
The plot of this book PLOTTED! Not only do we get the characters journey, but the politics and magic in this system was wild. I'm a sucker for a good fantasy with politics and after reading so many of them, this is up there. I was engaged the entire time; I was not bored for a single second. This was such a fast read and you get sucked in immediately. While this was Young Adult, it didn't really feel that way because of the writing and complexity of the plot. 10/10 yes. Just yes.
I actually ordered the rest of the series the other day and they're supposed to arrive shortly so best believe I'm starting the second book as soon as it comes in. I am just so IMMERSED! It caught my attention and now I just need to read the whole series. I had a prediction at the beginning of this book that I'd love it, but I was surprised at just how much.
Side note: BE PREPARED FOR A CLIFF-HANGER AT THE END!! If you know, you know. The second book immediately is a MUST. I am so so excited. My jaw was on the floor at the shock factor. Literally so insane. I will not be forgetting this for a longgg while!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really need a young adult fantasy and this has been on my shelf for a while so I'm ready to dive in 🙂↔️
January 17, 2026
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 4 s𝗍ᥲrs ꒱ ˎˊ˗
╰⪼𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙢𝙖'𝙨 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡₊˚⊹ᰔ (creds to mins for this detail!)
bigggg thanks to my bestie edie for reading this with meeee!
⤷ ゛ her stunning review ˎˊ˗
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ♫♬♪: “champagne problems” - taylor swift
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:34
￫ s𝗍ᥲr𝗍ᥱძ ȷᥲᥒᥙᥲrᥡ 2ᥒძ ⭑ 𝖿іᥒіsһᥱძ ȷᥲᥒᥙᥲrᥡ 16
￫ 𝗍rіggᥱr ᥕᥲrᥒіᥒgs ⭑ ძᥱᥲ𝗍һ, ძrᥙgs, sᥱᥣ𝖿 һᥲrm, 𝗍᥆r𝗍ᥙrᥱ, ᥎і᥆ᥣᥱᥒᥴᥱ, ᥱ𝗍ᥴ.
￫ s⍴іᥴᥱ ⭑ 0/5
￫ ᥴᥙrsіᥒg ⭑ ᥎ᥱrᥡ mіᥒіmᥲᥣ
› "Our scars define us. They tell a story of courage and survival. They tell of who we are at our deepest being, of the challenges we've faced and overcome."
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
ᝰ.ᐟ「sᥙmmᥲrᥡ」
The Prison Healer follows Kiva Meridan, a teenage healer surviving ten years in the brutal Zalindov death prison, who must keep the captured Rebel Queen alive for a deadly Trial by Ordeal. To save the Queen and herself, Kiva volunteers to take the Queen's place in the elemental trials, risking her life with a coded message from her family promising rescue, as she navigates prison politics, a spreading plague, and a growing romance with a mysterious inmate, uncovering secrets and fighting for freedom in a world of harsh survival and shocking twists.
ᝰ.ᐟ「mᥡ 𝗍һ᥆ᥙgһ𝗍s」
The pacing was kinda slow for me at the beginning but once it started picking up I didn't want to put the book down. The plot, the characters, and Kiva herself made me want to keep reading. I thought the setting would get boring since they're in one place the whole time, but surprisingly I wasn't bored. The Trials by Ordeal added a lot to the plot though and really kept me interested.
ᝰ.ᐟ「ᥴһᥲrᥲᥴ𝗍ᥱrs」
⟢kі᥎ᥲ
I love herrrrrrr. ugh every single time she tried convincing herself she didnt like jaren I was giggling but also wanted to slap her bc u KNOW ur obsessed with him. anyway, the way she cared for tipp, and everyone she heals made me so happy. we loveee a strong fmc.
⟢ȷᥲrᥱᥒ
I love jaren. I love jaren. I. love. jaren. every time his name came up I was praying this would be the moment him and Kiva would kiss, or SOMETHING. regardless though, he was so so sweet. I was crying in my room at like midnight when I read the scene where kiva opened up to him and he just kissed her on the forehead like ughhhhhh.
⟢ᥒᥲᥲrі
the way me and edie were thinking she was lesbian lmao. there's still two more books so you never know...on another note I kinda figured naari would be important from the start just based on how she was talked about.
⟢𝗍і⍴⍴
tipp's back must hurt from carrying this book (not that it was bad without him, but he made it better). he was so so sweet and may be my favorite character from this book. I don't know how this kid has so much energy in a prison.
ᝰ.ᐟ「𝗊ᥙ᥆𝗍ᥱs ᥲkᥲ mᥡ 𝖿ᥲ᥎᥆rі𝗍ᥱ ⍴ᥲr𝗍」
𖤐 "Kiva croaked out, 'then why didn't you just leave?'
'his blue gold gaze locked on hers. "Because I found a reason to stay.'"
𖤐 "'So you're right, you don't need me fighting your battles. But if you'll let me, I'd like to be standing beside you as you fight them.'"
𖤐"'I value everything you say.'"
›"Dreams were for fools. And Kiva was the biggest fool of them all."
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
⋆˚࿔ ⍴rᥱ rᥱᥲძ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
soooo excited to pick this book up with the one and only edie mayyyy! I've seen mixed reviews on this but at least if we hate it we can hate it together <3
(and my first buddy read of 2026!! yayyyyy!)
╰⪼𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙢𝙖'𝙨 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡₊˚⊹ᰔ (creds to mins for this detail!)
bigggg thanks to my bestie edie for reading this with meeee!
⤷ ゛ her stunning review ˎˊ˗
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ♫♬♪: “champagne problems” - taylor swift
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:34
￫ s𝗍ᥲr𝗍ᥱძ ȷᥲᥒᥙᥲrᥡ 2ᥒძ ⭑ 𝖿іᥒіsһᥱძ ȷᥲᥒᥙᥲrᥡ 16
￫ 𝗍rіggᥱr ᥕᥲrᥒіᥒgs ⭑ ძᥱᥲ𝗍һ, ძrᥙgs, sᥱᥣ𝖿 һᥲrm, 𝗍᥆r𝗍ᥙrᥱ, ᥎і᥆ᥣᥱᥒᥴᥱ, ᥱ𝗍ᥴ.
￫ s⍴іᥴᥱ ⭑ 0/5
￫ ᥴᥙrsіᥒg ⭑ ᥎ᥱrᥡ mіᥒіmᥲᥣ
› "Our scars define us. They tell a story of courage and survival. They tell of who we are at our deepest being, of the challenges we've faced and overcome."
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
ᝰ.ᐟ「sᥙmmᥲrᥡ」
The Prison Healer follows Kiva Meridan, a teenage healer surviving ten years in the brutal Zalindov death prison, who must keep the captured Rebel Queen alive for a deadly Trial by Ordeal. To save the Queen and herself, Kiva volunteers to take the Queen's place in the elemental trials, risking her life with a coded message from her family promising rescue, as she navigates prison politics, a spreading plague, and a growing romance with a mysterious inmate, uncovering secrets and fighting for freedom in a world of harsh survival and shocking twists.
ᝰ.ᐟ「mᥡ 𝗍һ᥆ᥙgһ𝗍s」
The pacing was kinda slow for me at the beginning but once it started picking up I didn't want to put the book down. The plot, the characters, and Kiva herself made me want to keep reading. I thought the setting would get boring since they're in one place the whole time, but surprisingly I wasn't bored. The Trials by Ordeal added a lot to the plot though and really kept me interested.
ᝰ.ᐟ「ᥴһᥲrᥲᥴ𝗍ᥱrs」
⟢kі᥎ᥲ
I love herrrrrrr. ugh every single time she tried convincing herself she didnt like jaren I was giggling but also wanted to slap her bc u KNOW ur obsessed with him. anyway, the way she cared for tipp, and everyone she heals made me so happy. we loveee a strong fmc.
⟢ȷᥲrᥱᥒ
I love jaren. I love jaren. I. love. jaren. every time his name came up I was praying this would be the moment him and Kiva would kiss, or SOMETHING. regardless though, he was so so sweet. I was crying in my room at like midnight when I read the scene where kiva opened up to him and he just kissed her on the forehead like ughhhhhh.
⟢ᥒᥲᥲrі
the way me and edie were thinking she was lesbian lmao. there's still two more books so you never know...on another note I kinda figured naari would be important from the start just based on how she was talked about.
⟢𝗍і⍴⍴
tipp's back must hurt from carrying this book (not that it was bad without him, but he made it better). he was so so sweet and may be my favorite character from this book. I don't know how this kid has so much energy in a prison.
ᝰ.ᐟ「𝗊ᥙ᥆𝗍ᥱs ᥲkᥲ mᥡ 𝖿ᥲ᥎᥆rі𝗍ᥱ ⍴ᥲr𝗍」
𖤐 "Kiva croaked out, 'then why didn't you just leave?'
'his blue gold gaze locked on hers. "Because I found a reason to stay.'"
𖤐 "'So you're right, you don't need me fighting your battles. But if you'll let me, I'd like to be standing beside you as you fight them.'"
𖤐"'I value everything you say.'"
›"Dreams were for fools. And Kiva was the biggest fool of them all."
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
⋆˚࿔ ⍴rᥱ rᥱᥲძ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
soooo excited to pick this book up with the one and only edie mayyyy! I've seen mixed reviews on this but at least if we hate it we can hate it together <3
(and my first buddy read of 2026!! yayyyyy!)
![Profile Image for edie-may ౨ৎ [book slump].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1784308797i/155866964._UY200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
February 4, 2026
──「
4.00 stars .ᐟ
」✮⋆˙ ❛ Dreams were for fools. And Kiva was the biggest fool of them all. ❜
⤿ read: january 2 • january 16 • 2026
⤿ age rating: 14+
⤿ spice level: 0/5
⤿ content warnings: mentions of self harm, SA, violence & death
ᯓ buddy read with my lovely gem.
⤷ find her review here !!
═══ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ 𖥸 ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ═══
⟡₊⋆ ⋮ ⌗ ⛓️ ꒰ review: ꒱
i’m shell-shocked. i pride myself on being good at predicting twists, but i’m not as good with guessing the amount of them. this book…as soon as i started thinking i was safe, bam, there was another revelation that had me taking off my glasses and fixing my posture. the pacing was slow but steady and ugh i was so invested in these characters. i understand why people love this series.
⟡₊⋆ ⋮ ⌗ 🩹 ꒰ characters: ꒱
⇝ kiva & jaren .ᐟ
holy slow burn. there is so much insta-love and so little build up in books these days that i was starting to miss the feeling of geeking out when two people happened to brush arms 300 pages in. this restored that in me. both of them are perfectly suited to each other.
⇝ naari & tipp .ᐟ
oh, found family trope, how i love you. let it be known that i am completely besotted with naari. i spent the entire book praying that one of the plot twists would be her coming out as lesbian. in sharp contrast to this, all i felt for tipp was an overwhelming maternal instinct. i want to hug that kid so bad.
═══ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ 𖥸 ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ═══
⟡₊⋆ ⋮ ⌗ ꒰ series reviews: ꒱
⤿ #1. the prison healer ; 4.00 ★
⤿ #2. the gilded cage ; ? ★
⤿ #3. the blood traitor ; ? ★
⟡₊⋆ ⋮ ⌗ ꒰ pre-read: ꒱
first book and buddy read of 2026. this has been on my tbr for eons, i’m so ready. reading with my lovely gem <3 — ( prediction ; 4.00 ☆ )
જ⁀➴ ₊˚⊹ ✦
⤿ read: january 2 • january 16 • 2026
⤿ age rating: 14+
⤿ spice level: 0/5
⤿ content warnings: mentions of self harm, SA, violence & death
ᯓ buddy read with my lovely gem.
⤷ find her review here !!
═══ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ 𖥸 ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ═══
⟡₊⋆ ⋮ ⌗ ⛓️ ꒰ review: ꒱
i’m shell-shocked. i pride myself on being good at predicting twists, but i’m not as good with guessing the amount of them. this book…as soon as i started thinking i was safe, bam, there was another revelation that had me taking off my glasses and fixing my posture. the pacing was slow but steady and ugh i was so invested in these characters. i understand why people love this series.
⟡₊⋆ ⋮ ⌗ 🩹 ꒰ characters: ꒱
⇝ kiva & jaren .ᐟ
holy slow burn. there is so much insta-love and so little build up in books these days that i was starting to miss the feeling of geeking out when two people happened to brush arms 300 pages in. this restored that in me. both of them are perfectly suited to each other.
⇝ naari & tipp .ᐟ
oh, found family trope, how i love you. let it be known that i am completely besotted with naari. i spent the entire book praying that one of the plot twists would be her coming out as lesbian. in sharp contrast to this, all i felt for tipp was an overwhelming maternal instinct. i want to hug that kid so bad.
═══ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ 𖥸 ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ═══
⟡₊⋆ ⋮ ⌗ ꒰ series reviews: ꒱
⤿ #1. the prison healer ; 4.00 ★
⤿ #2. the gilded cage ; ? ★
⤿ #3. the blood traitor ; ? ★
⟡₊⋆ ⋮ ⌗ ꒰ pre-read: ꒱
first book and buddy read of 2026. this has been on my tbr for eons, i’m so ready. reading with my lovely gem <3 — ( prediction ; 4.00 ☆ )
જ⁀➴ ₊˚⊹ ✦
November 19, 2025
★彡 4.25 stars彡★
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈ Feel free to throw me in jail, for how dare that I kept stalling on this one as long as I did? How. Dare. I. Not. Pick. It. Up. Sooner? On second thought, jail is much too lenient, so don’t be shy to drop better alternatives down below ⤵︎
To be honest, one good thing that came out of this felony is that I got to read this pretty piece with my pretty person - LOML Molly. Safe to say both of us are open to donations since I doubt we can afford our therapy bills after The Ending™ (ᵕ—ᴗ—)
Lo and behold… an actually refreshing take on YA fantasy ~
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
⋮ ⌗ ┆ ᏖᏒᎧᎮᏋᏕ ᏗᏖ ᏇᎧᏒᏦ ⋮ ⌗ ┆
➳❥ Healer Heroine
➳❥ Prison Setting
➳❥ Secret Identities
➳❥ Found Family
➳❥ Golden Retriever MMC
➳❥ Who Did This To You?
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
⋮ ⌗ ┆ ᎷᎩ ᏖᏂᎧᏬᎶᏂᏖᏕ ⋮ ⌗ ┆
: ̗̀➛ 🅣🅗🅔 🅢🅣🅞🅡🅨 & 🅣🅗🅔 🅕🅔🅔🅛🅢: Kiva Meridan spent nearly a decade of her life in the hellhole that is Zalindov prison. And she survived when others fell. Simply because she knew to shrivel in on herself and make herself as small of a threat as possible. Silently waiting on a rescue that never came her way, things suddenly start falling in place as a number of unexpected variables spring up: a plague, a rebel queen and of course a charming inmate ᗜ⩊ᗜ
Truth be told, the gritty prison setting wasn’t what I expected to feel comfortable with, especially when almost the entirety of the book takes place in there. And yes, I was initially struggling to get into the story because of said gritty setting paired with what was an excruciatingly slow pacing.
However, as I kept on reading, I began to understand that there was meaning and purpose behind the tough-to-crack introduction. That we were meant to feel the monotony of days Kiva spent in Zalindov. And that we were meant to feel exasperated at how sorrowfully the days bled into months. So here I am, appreciating how beautifully that was done.
: ̗̀➛ 🅚🅘🅥🅐 🅜🅔🅡🅘🅓🅐🅝: Words cannot explain the feelings I feel for Kiva.
Here’s the thing, when you first get to know her, you’re bound to think along the lines of “oh there she goes being the regular YA fantasy girlie we’ve seen one too many times!” But nope, Kiva Meridan is nothing short of an enigma. If you think you’ve got her figured out?
Rethink it.
Trust me when I say she will blow you away. The more of her layers you peel off, the more mysterious she gets, and the more questions you have about her. She starts of as a meek, little mouse of a person. She says she goes with the flow and likes to make herself small.
Peel Off A Layer:
She’s quiet and perceptive.
Peel Off Another Layer:
She’s dangerously strategic and unpredictable.
Peel Off Another Damn Layer:
You never know what schemes she’s scheming. Ahem. Anyways, that’s a good way to describe Kiva. The more pages you flip through, the less you really know her.
And then there’s the matter of all the shit she’s been through. WHY IS IT THAT THE SWEET SOULS ALWAYS SUFFER? Kiva, my precious, only keeps hoping and hoping that things will get better.
My smol cinnamon-roll, I’ll give you all the joys ಥ﹏ಥ
If she doesn’t live happily ever after then I’ll be at your throats, I swear.Yeah, it sounds like I’m kidding, but I’m not.
: ̗̀➛ 🅙🅐🅡🅔🅝: Jaren is the kind of character who has you wrapped around his finger from the moment he enters the scene. It’s lowkey impossible to not like a guy so visibly down-bad for our girl. Easy to call him foolish-in-love, and easier still to love him for that.
He was that constant source of sunshine in the otherwise-gloomy atmosphere set by the book. Call it witty remarks, or just loveable longing… this man has it all.
I’m an addict too, Kiva. But Jaren’s my drug and boy am I high …
I’m not eloquent enough to talk of the extent to which Jaren is a blessing to humanity.
I’ll stumble, I’ll stutter, I’ll lose dignity. So I’ll let the quotes do the work:
Lucky for me, I’m very interested in art.Be my muse, Jaren 〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜
I Can Fix Him No Really I Can (☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞
I’m not even kidding when I say he had me WHIPPED. They don’t make men this fine anymore, they sadly don’t (ᵕ—ᴗ—)
And then there’s the matter of how attuned he is to Kiva’s needs. They share this cute quirk that’s better explained with another excerpt:
He keeps badgering her until she gets exhausted and says how she truly feels. I’m sorry, but this micro-trope needs to exist more widely or I’ll riot –
In a world of blockhead boys, he’s a green-flag gentleman (੭˃ᴗ˂)੭
: ̗̀➛ 🅣🅗🅔 🅢🅘🅓🅔 🅒🅗🅐🅡🅐🅒🅣🅔🅡🅢: For bookish kiddos there’s two ends to the spectrum. On one end, we have bitchy brats like *censored for REASONS* and then on the other end there’s perfectly responsible and adorable children that you would pay good money to raise.
That’s exactly where my baby hamster Tipp comes in (for those who aren’t fluent in nonsense-speak, he’s a human, not a hamster). The way he cares for Kiva and the way Kiva cares for him? That’s the kind of found family I signed up for and you best believe I’m getting his adoption papers ready.
I. WILL. NOT. REST. IN. PEACE. UNTIL. I. ADOPT. HIM.
Then comes our soldier queen Nari. Again, it’s lowkey shameless of me to admit that I’ll let her step on meI’m saying that for a lot of characters these days. What an icon of a character. Her quiet resilience and how much she cares for Kiva undid me. Female friendships give me solace and that’s exactly what happened here.
As for Mot… I swear to god…
»»——★ fιnαℓ тнσυgнтѕ ★——««
➳ Let’s all discuss the elephant in the room: The Ending™…
So, I take pride in guessing plot twists and gloating about it afterwards in public placesyes, I’m that kinda gal. And what happened was that I guessed the simplest plot twist (that wasn’t even a plot twist) and my ego sky-rocketed up-up-up until I read the ending… I was aghast, because I couldn’t have seen it coming ever. Like ever.
That ending was criminal shit. Pray tell, in what world is such an ending legal? How haven’t I sued the author yet ∘ ∘ ∘ ( °ヮ° ) ? All brilliant questions to be considered.
Lynette Noni might as well have slapped a “what dumb bitch!” sticker on my conscience.
I’ll quietly die with a bruised ego.
Bye.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ To Bestie Molly ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ 𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚞𝚗𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚊𝚙 𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚔𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎. 𝚂𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊 𝚏𝚞𝚗 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚞𝚝𝚜𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚢 𝚍𝚘𝚘𝚖𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍𝚞𝚕𝚎! 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝚜𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚝’𝚜 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝟸 ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
ﾒ𝟶ﾒ𝟶
｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡
“But, Papa, the endings are the best part.”
“Sometimes, sweetheart. But other times, the beginnings are.”
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈ Feel free to throw me in jail, for how dare that I kept stalling on this one as long as I did? How. Dare. I. Not. Pick. It. Up. Sooner? On second thought, jail is much too lenient, so don’t be shy to drop better alternatives down below ⤵︎
To be honest, one good thing that came out of this felony is that I got to read this pretty piece with my pretty person - LOML Molly. Safe to say both of us are open to donations since I doubt we can afford our therapy bills after The Ending™ (ᵕ—ᴗ—)
Lo and behold… an actually refreshing take on YA fantasy ~
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
⋮ ⌗ ┆ ᏖᏒᎧᎮᏋᏕ ᏗᏖ ᏇᎧᏒᏦ ⋮ ⌗ ┆
➳❥ Healer Heroine
➳❥ Prison Setting
➳❥ Secret Identities
➳❥ Found Family
➳❥ Golden Retriever MMC
➳❥ Who Did This To You?
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
⋮ ⌗ ┆ ᎷᎩ ᏖᏂᎧᏬᎶᏂᏖᏕ ⋮ ⌗ ┆
: ̗̀➛ 🅣🅗🅔 🅢🅣🅞🅡🅨 & 🅣🅗🅔 🅕🅔🅔🅛🅢: Kiva Meridan spent nearly a decade of her life in the hellhole that is Zalindov prison. And she survived when others fell. Simply because she knew to shrivel in on herself and make herself as small of a threat as possible. Silently waiting on a rescue that never came her way, things suddenly start falling in place as a number of unexpected variables spring up: a plague, a rebel queen and of course a charming inmate ᗜ⩊ᗜ
Truth be told, the gritty prison setting wasn’t what I expected to feel comfortable with, especially when almost the entirety of the book takes place in there. And yes, I was initially struggling to get into the story because of said gritty setting paired with what was an excruciatingly slow pacing.
However, as I kept on reading, I began to understand that there was meaning and purpose behind the tough-to-crack introduction. That we were meant to feel the monotony of days Kiva spent in Zalindov. And that we were meant to feel exasperated at how sorrowfully the days bled into months. So here I am, appreciating how beautifully that was done.
: ̗̀➛ 🅚🅘🅥🅐 🅜🅔🅡🅘🅓🅐🅝: Words cannot explain the feelings I feel for Kiva.
Here’s the thing, when you first get to know her, you’re bound to think along the lines of “oh there she goes being the regular YA fantasy girlie we’ve seen one too many times!” But nope, Kiva Meridan is nothing short of an enigma. If you think you’ve got her figured out?
Rethink it.
Trust me when I say she will blow you away. The more of her layers you peel off, the more mysterious she gets, and the more questions you have about her. She starts of as a meek, little mouse of a person. She says she goes with the flow and likes to make herself small.
Peel Off A Layer:
She’s quiet and perceptive.
Peel Off Another Layer:
She’s dangerously strategic and unpredictable.
Peel Off Another Damn Layer:
You never know what schemes she’s scheming. Ahem. Anyways, that’s a good way to describe Kiva. The more pages you flip through, the less you really know her.
And then there’s the matter of all the shit she’s been through. WHY IS IT THAT THE SWEET SOULS ALWAYS SUFFER? Kiva, my precious, only keeps hoping and hoping that things will get better.
“Hope was a drug and Kiva, an addict.”
My smol cinnamon-roll, I’ll give you all the joys ಥ﹏ಥ
If she doesn’t live happily ever after then I’ll be at your throats, I swear.
: ̗̀➛ 🅙🅐🅡🅔🅝: Jaren is the kind of character who has you wrapped around his finger from the moment he enters the scene. It’s lowkey impossible to not like a guy so visibly down-bad for our girl. Easy to call him foolish-in-love, and easier still to love him for that.
He was that constant source of sunshine in the otherwise-gloomy atmosphere set by the book. Call it witty remarks, or just loveable longing… this man has it all.
I’m not eloquent enough to talk of the extent to which Jaren is a blessing to humanity.
I’ll stumble, I’ll stutter, I’ll lose dignity. So I’ll let the quotes do the work:
“She’d never held much of an interest in art, but looking at him now, her fingers itched for some paint, for some charcoal, for anything that could capture his near-perfect angles.”
Lucky for me, I’m very interested in art.
“Please, don’t look at me like that. Don’t look at me like I’m broken.”
I Can Fix Him No Really I Can (☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞
“Sorry.”
He shook his head. “Never apologize for loving someone. Even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.”
I’m not even kidding when I say he had me WHIPPED. They don’t make men this fine anymore, they sadly don’t (ᵕ—ᴗ—)
And then there’s the matter of how attuned he is to Kiva’s needs. They share this cute quirk that’s better explained with another excerpt:
“Are you ready?”
“Of course I am.”
Jaren’s eyes remained locked on hers, waiting for the truth, and Kiva sighed.
“Fine. I’m a nervous wreck. Happy?”
He keeps badgering her until she gets exhausted and says how she truly feels. I’m sorry, but this micro-trope needs to exist more widely or I’ll riot –
In a world of blockhead boys, he’s a green-flag gentleman (੭˃ᴗ˂)੭
: ̗̀➛ 🅣🅗🅔 🅢🅘🅓🅔 🅒🅗🅐🅡🅐🅒🅣🅔🅡🅢: For bookish kiddos there’s two ends to the spectrum. On one end, we have bitchy brats like *censored for REASONS* and then on the other end there’s perfectly responsible and adorable children that you would pay good money to raise.
That’s exactly where my baby hamster Tipp comes in (for those who aren’t fluent in nonsense-speak, he’s a human, not a hamster). The way he cares for Kiva and the way Kiva cares for him? That’s the kind of found family I signed up for and you best believe I’m getting his adoption papers ready.
I. WILL. NOT. REST. IN. PEACE. UNTIL. I. ADOPT. HIM.
Then comes our soldier queen Nari. Again, it’s lowkey shameless of me to admit that I’ll let her step on me
As for Mot… I swear to god…
»»——★ fιnαℓ тнσυgнтѕ ★——««
➳ Let’s all discuss the elephant in the room: The Ending™…
So, I take pride in guessing plot twists and gloating about it afterwards in public places
That ending was criminal shit. Pray tell, in what world is such an ending legal? How haven’t I sued the author yet ∘ ∘ ∘ ( °ヮ° ) ? All brilliant questions to be considered.
Lynette Noni might as well have slapped a “what dumb bitch!” sticker on my conscience.
I’ll quietly die with a bruised ego.
Bye.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ To Bestie Molly ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ 𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚞𝚗𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚊𝚙 𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚔𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎. 𝚂𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊 𝚏𝚞𝚗 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚞𝚝𝚜𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚢 𝚍𝚘𝚘𝚖𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍𝚞𝚕𝚎! 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝚜𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚝’𝚜 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝟸 ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
ﾒ𝟶ﾒ𝟶
｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡
January 28, 2026
WHAT WAS THAT ENDING!??????!?!!?
oml
i have no words.
one thing ik fs- this is definitely worth all the hype🙂↕️
it actually reminded me a lot of 'defy the night' by brigid kemmerer, and i really loved that series. so, my expectations for the next 2 books are sky high rn🫡
Br w lovely salma
(ps. girl, i'm so sorry for finishing it b4 you. i couldn't control myself😭😭)
oml
i have no words.
one thing ik fs- this is definitely worth all the hype🙂↕️
it actually reminded me a lot of 'defy the night' by brigid kemmerer, and i really loved that series. so, my expectations for the next 2 books are sky high rn🫡
Br w lovely salma
(ps. girl, i'm so sorry for finishing it b4 you. i couldn't control myself😭😭)
March 9, 2026
"𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆.
𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒊𝒆.
𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈."
✄┈ This story follows Kiva, a girl who has survived ten years inside the brutal prison of Zalindov. When the Rebel Queen arrives and is sentenced to the deadly Ordeals, Kiva volunteers to take them in her place. What follows is a tense fight for survival, secrets, and the hope that maybe… someone is finally coming for her. ⛓️
I truly enjoyed reading this book. From the very beginning, I was hooked. 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 was incredibly suffocating. I could feel it so strongly that sometimes I found myself needing to take a deep breath while reading. And yet, I still loved that feeling because it made the story so immersive.
𝐾𝑖𝑣𝑎 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑣𝑜𝑟—she’s a symbol of endurance and patience. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, she waited for someone to come and rescue her. She was 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 old when she entered the prison. Her whole life changed in just a few minutes, yet she still managed to survive.
I could still see her childhood in 𝘛𝘪𝘱𝘱. 😅 Following her father around everywhere, wanting to help. That part felt very real to me. Her personality also felt realistic—especially how she tried to avoid trouble and how she became an informant for Warden Rooke.
I understood her decision to volunteer in Tilda’s place, but later I felt a bit confused about her strong determination to protect her—even if it meant dying for it. 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑… 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒.
𝘑𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯… I honestly don’t even know what to say except that I love him. What he did for Kiva again and again was beautiful. 𝐻𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑟. I suspected his identity from the beginning, but the way everything was revealed still surprised me. I didn’t expect him to do all that.
𝘛𝘪𝘱𝘱, my sweet little one, deserves all the love and goodness in the world. 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴. 🥹
As for Naari, I loved her silence, her strength, and her toughness. But I have to admit I got a little annoyed by how she seemed to appear everywhere all the time—especially when Kiva and Jaren were together. Like… please don’t interrupt them. 😅
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 were incredibly exciting. Every time one began, I felt nervous and eager to see what it would be and how Kiva would manage to survive. And every time, I found myself impressed by her.
𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑓ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟… 𝐼 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑙𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑎𝑦. 𝐼’𝑚 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠.
I did not expect that at all. I even had to read it a second time 😅 just to process what actually happened.
𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭, this was such an intense and emotional read. The atmosphere, the tension of the ordeals, and the shocking ending made it a very memorable experience for me—and 𝘐’𝘮 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 🌿💙
⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡ |𝑃𝑟𝑒-𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑🌿
Finally starting this book and I’m SO excited!! 💙
This is a series I’ve wanted to read for the longest time, and I can’t believe the time has finally come.
I have a feeling I’m about to fall in love with this story
𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒊𝒆.
𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈."
✄┈ This story follows Kiva, a girl who has survived ten years inside the brutal prison of Zalindov. When the Rebel Queen arrives and is sentenced to the deadly Ordeals, Kiva volunteers to take them in her place. What follows is a tense fight for survival, secrets, and the hope that maybe… someone is finally coming for her. ⛓️
I truly enjoyed reading this book. From the very beginning, I was hooked. 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 was incredibly suffocating. I could feel it so strongly that sometimes I found myself needing to take a deep breath while reading. And yet, I still loved that feeling because it made the story so immersive.
𝐾𝑖𝑣𝑎 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑣𝑜𝑟—she’s a symbol of endurance and patience. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, she waited for someone to come and rescue her. She was 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 old when she entered the prison. Her whole life changed in just a few minutes, yet she still managed to survive.
I could still see her childhood in 𝘛𝘪𝘱𝘱. 😅 Following her father around everywhere, wanting to help. That part felt very real to me. Her personality also felt realistic—especially how she tried to avoid trouble and how she became an informant for Warden Rooke.
I understood her decision to volunteer in Tilda’s place, but later I felt a bit confused about her strong determination to protect her—even if it meant dying for it. 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑… 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒.
𝘑𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯… I honestly don’t even know what to say except that I love him. What he did for Kiva again and again was beautiful. 𝐻𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑟. I suspected his identity from the beginning, but the way everything was revealed still surprised me. I didn’t expect him to do all that.
𝘛𝘪𝘱𝘱, my sweet little one, deserves all the love and goodness in the world. 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴. 🥹
As for Naari, I loved her silence, her strength, and her toughness. But I have to admit I got a little annoyed by how she seemed to appear everywhere all the time—especially when Kiva and Jaren were together. Like… please don’t interrupt them. 😅
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 were incredibly exciting. Every time one began, I felt nervous and eager to see what it would be and how Kiva would manage to survive. And every time, I found myself impressed by her.
𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑓ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟… 𝐼 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑙𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑎𝑦. 𝐼’𝑚 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠.
I did not expect that at all. I even had to read it a second time 😅 just to process what actually happened.
𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭, this was such an intense and emotional read. The atmosphere, the tension of the ordeals, and the shocking ending made it a very memorable experience for me—and 𝘐’𝘮 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 🌿💙
⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡ |𝑃𝑟𝑒-𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑🌿
Finally starting this book and I’m SO excited!! 💙
This is a series I’ve wanted to read for the longest time, and I can’t believe the time has finally come.
I have a feeling I’m about to fall in love with this story
March 21, 2021
Full disclosure - Lynette is my friend. She's an Australian author and we met when I was a guest at SupaNova about 6 years ago - back in the good old days when I could travel and attend cons. One of the nicest/sweetest person I've ever met and we stayed friends. The Prison Healer is going to be released in April in Australia, UK, and US and many of the books will be signed (she signed literally thousands of what's known as "tip-ins" - it's the cover page that they'll bind with the rest of the book - truthfully, I'm totally jealous ;)
Just like the title says, the main character is the only healer in this horrible prison. A prison that she's been locked in for the last 10 years (having been sent there with her father at the age of 7 - so you know the people who run the place are truly awful - also warning the guards are brutal to the prisoners and there's mention of violence and female prisoners being raped is implied, but that's not detailed on the page - although the threat of it is).
I really liked the world building (there are maps!! Not one but two and they're lovely!) and the details about how Kiva heals those who are sick are interesting. The side characters are very likable and Tipp quickly became a favorite. The action gets going when the queen of the rebels is arrested and sent to the prison. The woman is sentenced to endure four trials, but she's too sick to complete them. Kiva is determined to keep her alive so takes her place (reminded me a bit of the Hunger Games with Katniss stepping in for her sister). If Kiva survives the trails, she and the rebel queen will be free - if she dies, then so will the queen.
This is the first book of a series and you won't have to wait long for book 2 as it's due out in October 2021.
Just like the title says, the main character is the only healer in this horrible prison. A prison that she's been locked in for the last 10 years (having been sent there with her father at the age of 7 - so you know the people who run the place are truly awful - also warning the guards are brutal to the prisoners and there's mention of violence and female prisoners being raped is implied, but that's not detailed on the page - although the threat of it is).
I really liked the world building (there are maps!! Not one but two and they're lovely!) and the details about how Kiva heals those who are sick are interesting. The side characters are very likable and Tipp quickly became a favorite. The action gets going when the queen of the rebels is arrested and sent to the prison. The woman is sentenced to endure four trials, but she's too sick to complete them. Kiva is determined to keep her alive so takes her place (reminded me a bit of the Hunger Games with Katniss stepping in for her sister). If Kiva survives the trails, she and the rebel queen will be free - if she dies, then so will the queen.
This is the first book of a series and you won't have to wait long for book 2 as it's due out in October 2021.
Want to Read
April 19, 2026I think it’s time for me to pick up this book again!
——————
I'm going to put this book on-hold just for some teeny tiny days.
I think I'll be more in the mood for this book next month.
I've been hearing only good things about this book from the minute it came out, and I have been curious about giving 'The Prison Healer' a try ever since. And now that this book was recommended to me a few months back, I simply ought to read it as soon as possible.
——————
I'm going to put this book on-hold just for some teeny tiny days.
I think I'll be more in the mood for this book next month.
I've been hearing only good things about this book from the minute it came out, and I have been curious about giving 'The Prison Healer' a try ever since. And now that this book was recommended to me a few months back, I simply ought to read it as soon as possible.
March 20, 2025
Si tienes este libro hace años como yo, has escuchado comentarios...hazme un favor. Hazme un favor y DALE UNA OPORTUNIDAD.
Este libro me dio enganche, me dio entretenemiento, me dio un mundo de fantasía interesante, acción, misterio, UN SUSPENSOOO QUE OMG...
No les quiero hacer ningún comentario de más, pero si motivar a que lean la historia asi que les cuento: esta es una novela de fantasía, la primera de una trilogía que ya está terminada y que narra la historia de Kiva. Kiva es una joven de solo diecisiete años que lleva diez años encerrada en la terrible cárcel de Zalindov donde además trabaja como sanadora. Cuida a los enfermos, cura a los reos heridos, y un día, mientras cumple con su trabajo va a llegar una persona y un mensaje desde las afueras que lo van a cambiar absolutamente todo...
Desde el inicio este libro me tuvo atrapadisima. Tiene un muy buen ritmo (cada vez más suspenso), con personajes interesantes, subtramas que motivan a seguir leyendo, y en mi opinión se va poniendo cada vez mejor.
Es que la parte final, las últimas 100 páginas concentran una cantidad de emoción, acción, revelaciones que no vi venir y que me obligaban (les prometo) me obligaban a seguir leyendo.
Nunca me había pasado que las últimas lineas me dejaran así de mal como me dejó las de este libro.
Si tiene clichés como dicen algunos y partes más lentas me dio sinceramente lo mismo porque siento que el final logró compensarlo.
Me encantó. Voy a seguir la trilogía. Soy fan.
Este libro me dio enganche, me dio entretenemiento, me dio un mundo de fantasía interesante, acción, misterio, UN SUSPENSOOO QUE OMG...
No les quiero hacer ningún comentario de más, pero si motivar a que lean la historia asi que les cuento: esta es una novela de fantasía, la primera de una trilogía que ya está terminada y que narra la historia de Kiva. Kiva es una joven de solo diecisiete años que lleva diez años encerrada en la terrible cárcel de Zalindov donde además trabaja como sanadora. Cuida a los enfermos, cura a los reos heridos, y un día, mientras cumple con su trabajo va a llegar una persona y un mensaje desde las afueras que lo van a cambiar absolutamente todo...
Desde el inicio este libro me tuvo atrapadisima. Tiene un muy buen ritmo (cada vez más suspenso), con personajes interesantes, subtramas que motivan a seguir leyendo, y en mi opinión se va poniendo cada vez mejor.
Es que la parte final, las últimas 100 páginas concentran una cantidad de emoción, acción, revelaciones que no vi venir y que me obligaban (les prometo) me obligaban a seguir leyendo.
Nunca me había pasado que las últimas lineas me dejaran así de mal como me dejó las de este libro.
Si tiene clichés como dicen algunos y partes más lentas me dio sinceramente lo mismo porque siento que el final logró compensarlo.
Me encantó. Voy a seguir la trilogía. Soy fan.
October 26, 2025
This is what you guys have been hyping? 😭 That was very predictable, and I'm not even smart at predicting plot twists. Not only that, but it was also repetitive. Kiva was a very dumb FMC and needed her ass to be saved at every trial. Tipp was the best side character in this book, he was so adorable, and I loved him so much. I was actually worried sick he was going to die. Thankfully, he doesn’t. He needs to be protected at all costs.
__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐
⋆｡‧˚ʚ Pre-read: ɞ˚‧｡⋆
Buddy read with the gorgeous Yuvi . This book is getting so much hype. I'm actually nervous. Please be good, all my recent reads have been terrible. I’m dying here. 😭 I have no idea what this book is about, so going in blind.
__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐
⋆｡‧˚ʚ Pre-read: ɞ˚‧｡⋆
Buddy read with the gorgeous Yuvi . This book is getting so much hype. I'm actually nervous. Please be good, all my recent reads have been terrible. I’m dying here. 😭 I have no idea what this book is about, so going in blind.
September 29, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ because that ending was insane !!!!!!!!!!!
December 18, 2024
"You have the prettiest eyes I've ever seen.
Like sunlight on the sea."
the prologue was chefs kiss, so captivating, first couple of chapters- perfection.
one of the main reasons i didn't love this was because it dragged on way longer than it should have. i mean there was absolutely no need for 80% of the book to be about her finding the reason everyone was getting sick & dropping like flies. I DON'T CARE, i genuinely could not care less, cus she went into extreme detail during the whole process and i mean literally 80% of the damn book was about her wondering why and how it was happening. like girly i don't wanna know anymore let them die. give me some romance.
had so much potential for such good romance, like hello? she's the prison healer, he had just arrived to the prison because he got into some shit and she's fixing him up
February 20, 2025
|| 1.5 stars ||
This was truly incredibly repetitive and painfully slow-paced. I’m serious, almost every page is the exact same, and I’m sure you could skip chapters upon chapters without any issue. So much so, I’d even argue there wasn’t much of a real plot to speak of here. Sure, the premise was really cool and the potential could have been off the charts, but the lack of anything ever really happening kept this from being anything of the sort.
There’s also little to no interaction outside of one single room and between four one-dimensional characters. It’s supposed to be a story about a prison, yet we never set foot outside of the infirmary where the main character works, thus it never actually felt like a story that took place in an actual prison. It could have been anywhere. Therefore, there’s never any real suspense or even sadness about the horrific conditions of the place since we simply don’t get to see it. It’s vaguely mentioned once or twice, but not really. You definitely don’t get to actually experience or feel it. It’s mostly just a whole lot of inner monologue, which got old and boring sooo quickly.
Also, I don’t know what everyone is on about when it comes to the ending being so rad and shocking, because I found the plottwists to be extremely predictable. It was about as cliche as it could possibly be, not to mention incredibly stupid since it leads to three very important (and unfortunate) things as a result:
1) It negates the entire, never-ending inner monologue we have sat through this entire book, since it’s clear the main character has been lying and withholding truth this entire time, but since we’re reading from inside her head, I guess she’s been constantly hiding the truth from… herself?? Is she mentally insane? Like, nothing even remotely logical could explain her inner monologue when you consider the truth. It makes no sense. Genuinely, no sense.
2) The reveal makes all of the main character’s emotions entirely invalid. We have been led to believe a lot of things to explain her situation and her feelings on matters, but it turns out it was all untrue, so her feelings and emotions during this entire book are now completely null and void.
3) The plottwist also changes her from someone we previously viewed as incredibly compassionate and selfless to someone I’d personally call heartless. We now know she could have done plenty to save many many people, including her father and her mother, but she simply chose not to. It changes our view of her entire character from someone who constantly tries her hardest to save as many people as she can because she cares deeply about everyone around her to someone not even willing to help the people she supposedly loves most with minimal effort. I mean, I’d dare say she is approaching psychopath territory with that: You have to have no compassion at all to just sit by and watch people (your parents included) die when you had the power to save them. Crazy.
So, those three things combined really just lead me to question what on earth I’ve spent all this time even reading? It seems I’ve literally just read the most mind-numbingly slow story, narrated by a girl who is lying to herself for no reason other than to give us, as readers, a gotcha moment. Which means I basically read… nothing. What a waste of time.
That said, I do have to admit that I had a little bit of a soft spot for Tipp. The stuttering, vibrant 11-year old really managed to pull on my heart strings once or twice as the boy was simply too precious. But really, he was my one highlight, and he was far from enough to save this book for me.
This was truly incredibly repetitive and painfully slow-paced. I’m serious, almost every page is the exact same, and I’m sure you could skip chapters upon chapters without any issue. So much so, I’d even argue there wasn’t much of a real plot to speak of here. Sure, the premise was really cool and the potential could have been off the charts, but the lack of anything ever really happening kept this from being anything of the sort.
There’s also little to no interaction outside of one single room and between four one-dimensional characters. It’s supposed to be a story about a prison, yet we never set foot outside of the infirmary where the main character works, thus it never actually felt like a story that took place in an actual prison. It could have been anywhere. Therefore, there’s never any real suspense or even sadness about the horrific conditions of the place since we simply don’t get to see it. It’s vaguely mentioned once or twice, but not really. You definitely don’t get to actually experience or feel it. It’s mostly just a whole lot of inner monologue, which got old and boring sooo quickly.
Also, I don’t know what everyone is on about when it comes to the ending being so rad and shocking, because I found the plottwists to be extremely predictable. It was about as cliche as it could possibly be, not to mention incredibly stupid since it leads to three very important (and unfortunate) things as a result:
1) It negates the entire, never-ending inner monologue we have sat through this entire book, since it’s clear the main character has been lying and withholding truth this entire time, but since we’re reading from inside her head, I guess she’s been constantly hiding the truth from… herself?? Is she mentally insane? Like, nothing even remotely logical could explain her inner monologue when you consider the truth. It makes no sense. Genuinely, no sense.
2) The reveal makes all of the main character’s emotions entirely invalid. We have been led to believe a lot of things to explain her situation and her feelings on matters, but it turns out it was all untrue, so her feelings and emotions during this entire book are now completely null and void.
3) The plottwist also changes her from someone we previously viewed as incredibly compassionate and selfless to someone I’d personally call heartless. We now know she could have done plenty to save many many people, including her father and her mother, but she simply chose not to. It changes our view of her entire character from someone who constantly tries her hardest to save as many people as she can because she cares deeply about everyone around her to someone not even willing to help the people she supposedly loves most with minimal effort. I mean, I’d dare say she is approaching psychopath territory with that: You have to have no compassion at all to just sit by and watch people (your parents included) die when you had the power to save them. Crazy.
So, those three things combined really just lead me to question what on earth I’ve spent all this time even reading? It seems I’ve literally just read the most mind-numbingly slow story, narrated by a girl who is lying to herself for no reason other than to give us, as readers, a gotcha moment. Which means I basically read… nothing. What a waste of time.
That said, I do have to admit that I had a little bit of a soft spot for Tipp. The stuttering, vibrant 11-year old really managed to pull on my heart strings once or twice as the boy was simply too precious. But really, he was my one highlight, and he was far from enough to save this book for me.
August 20, 2024
“Never apologize for loving someone. Even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.”
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 5 star baby
The way I devoured this book is crazy. 3 months ago from now I had sworned I could never read romantasy after reading ouabh and rooting for the wrong guy (again 😔). BUT HOLY SHIT this book is everything you guys. I wanna thank barnes & noble for having this 50% off otherwise I would've never read this 😘😘.
₊˚⊹♡ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 𝘒𝘪𝘷𝘢
“I have a lot of dreams. A lot of nightmares, too. Only time will tell which path my life will take.”
my girl fr. She deserves the biggest hug ever. I saur exited abt her in the next books (cause u bet im gonna spedrun them now)
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 𝘑𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯
"Kiva turned to him, the moonlight shining down and accentuating his strong features. She'd never held much of an interest in art, but looking at him now, her fingers itched for some paint, for some charcoal, for anything that could capture his near-perfect angles."
THE LOML. New bookboyfriend unlocked. I love him so much. He's perfect and he's better than jacks (argue with the wall) *Debby Ryan hair tuck*
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 𝘛𝘪𝘱𝘱
I love him sm.
That's it. I'm omw to download the rest ilegally cause I'm back in my third world country and there's no more b&n 😔
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 5 star baby
The way I devoured this book is crazy. 3 months ago from now I had sworned I could never read romantasy after reading ouabh and rooting for the wrong guy (again 😔). BUT HOLY SHIT this book is everything you guys. I wanna thank barnes & noble for having this 50% off otherwise I would've never read this 😘😘.
₊˚⊹♡ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 𝘒𝘪𝘷𝘢
“I have a lot of dreams. A lot of nightmares, too. Only time will tell which path my life will take.”
my girl fr. She deserves the biggest hug ever. I saur exited abt her in the next books (cause u bet im gonna spedrun them now)
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 𝘑𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯
"Kiva turned to him, the moonlight shining down and accentuating his strong features. She'd never held much of an interest in art, but looking at him now, her fingers itched for some paint, for some charcoal, for anything that could capture his near-perfect angles."
THE LOML. New bookboyfriend unlocked. I love him so much. He's perfect and he's better than jacks (argue with the wall) *Debby Ryan hair tuck*
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 𝘛𝘪𝘱𝘱
I love him sm.
That's it. I'm omw to download the rest ilegally cause I'm back in my third world country and there's no more b&n 😔
December 18, 2025
4.25 stars
I definitely enjoyed the ending.
Even though I predicted everything pretty accurately,
I still loved how everything unraveled.
I loved Kiva as the FMC so much. She’s a healer, and she’s soft yet resilient. All the characters felt very lovable, which made it even more enjoyable.
──── ୨୧ ────
──── ୨୧ ────
The middle did feel a bit slow, and I can see how that might not work for everyone, especially if you’re in a reading slump. I personally didn’t mind it because I loved following the FMC.
I also wouldn’t say I’m deeply attached to this series the way I usually am with other fantasy worlds, but I still genuinely enjoyed it.
The ending was a really strong opening for what’s coming next, and it made me curious enough to keep going.
I definitely enjoyed the ending.
Even though I predicted everything pretty accurately,
I still loved how everything unraveled.
I loved Kiva as the FMC so much. She’s a healer, and she’s soft yet resilient. All the characters felt very lovable, which made it even more enjoyable.
──── ୨୧ ────
💋ྀིྀི ┆ Read this if you love …
➢ 🫂 Found family
➢ 👩🏻 A soft female heroine
➢ 👱🏼 Golden retriever MMC
➢ ✍️ Not-too-complex setting/world-building (yet)
➢ 💝 He calls her “sweetheart” 🥺
➢ 📖 A solid, engaging plot
💭 ┆ Thoughts
I’d really recommend this series
for people who want to start or try fantasy
or for an easy read.
Disclaimer: Romance is only a subplot in this book.
I had a great time reading this and will definitely continue the trilogy.
──── ୨୧ ────
The middle did feel a bit slow, and I can see how that might not work for everyone, especially if you’re in a reading slump. I personally didn’t mind it because I loved following the FMC.
I also wouldn’t say I’m deeply attached to this series the way I usually am with other fantasy worlds, but I still genuinely enjoyed it.
The ending was a really strong opening for what’s coming next, and it made me curious enough to keep going.
August 10, 2026
╰┈➤ ⛓️ 𑣲 the prison healer
★ 5 stars ⋆˙⟡
⤷ spoilers ahead 🫂 !
───────୨ৎ────────
🎶 now playing: no time to die - billie eilish ⋆୨୧˚
0:43 ───|────── 2:57
♫ fool me once,
fool me twice,
are you death or paradise?
now you'll never see me cry
theres just no time to die ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
𖥻 my thoughts 📚 ౨ৎ˚₊‧ִֶ
OH. MY. GOD. this book, maybe one of the best fantasy books i've ever read. i am inlove, like truly obsessed. im not over it at all 😞 when i get my hands on the rest of the series, i apologise in advance to everyone because i am going to be INSUFFERABLE. every single part of this book is perfect. from the plot, to the characters, TO THE PLOT TWISTS??? ugh this book is literally just a rollercoaster from beginning to end. i urge everyone to drop their cr and just pick this up. do it!! as. soon. as. fucking. possible. this book is literally unforgettable, and my favourite fantasy book of 2026 💐
the plot sounded like it was going to deliver, AND BEST BELIEVE IT DID 🙂↕️💝 our fmc, kiva, takes part in deadly elemental challenges, and GOD it was so good. all of them - air, fire, earth, water - were petrifying and made have mini heart attacks while reading. ESPECIALLY fire and air. HELLOOO? these scenes will literally make you say prayers to god, take deep breaths and put you on the verge of a panic attack. i physically couldn't turn the page for some of the scenes because i was that scared for kiva 😭 i am so attached to these characters, i am terrified for the next book tbh. along with this, the illness spreading through zalindov had me SCARED. the investigation, and what actually caused it all? INSANE. ill talk about it more in my spoiler paragraph because if someone spoiled this book for me i would cry. even though the investigation scenes didn't really have that much action or excitement, i still literally couldnt put it down!! the fantasy was also perfect and done right!! the setting of the prison just had a whole new layer of horror and darkness to the story, and really had you thinking "GOD kiva is so strong" cause she so is! 💗💓💞💕💖💘
the side characters made my love for this book just increase everytime they made an appearance. TIPP 😭😭 tipp was my absolute favourite, i love him and im so scared for the next books cause if anything happens to this child ill die... he was so adorable, positive, and even though the guy was like 9, he was such a good friend to kiva. i just want to give him a huge hug cause ugh 😭😭 he's gone through so much and THAT STUNT LYNETTE NONI PULLED AT THE END. THE FUCK?? i cant. i cant wait to see him in the next books!
okay i have to start WITH THAT ENDING. THE FUCK?? you're telling me that kiva is the rebel princess. fuck off. i was SHOOK. 😥😥😥 the best ending, i need that second book literally as soon as possible. also, jaren being a prince???????? AND THE WARDEN POSIONING PEOPLE?? this book is truly, truly insane. and apparently the twists just get better throughout the series, so you know im going to go insane for them. just as i thought i was done, you know, nothing else is gonna happen. SOMETHING HAPPENED 😞💖
ughhhhhhhhhhhhhbh
𖥻 characters 💐 ౨ৎ˚₊‧ִֶ
♫ too much to bear
you were my life,
but life is far away from fair
was i stupid to love you?
was i reckless to help? ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
⋆˙⟡ kiva
she was SUCH a strong character. she went through so much in this book, and even in her backstory, which we didnt learn so much about but still broke my heart 😞 she was incredibly caring, especially towards tipp and eventually to jaren. stop i actually adore her, and i cant wait to see her in the next book, especially since we know her secret 👀👀
⋆˙⟡ jaren
HELLO. i love this man! positive, again very, very caring towards tipp and kiva. obviously i didnt like him keeping secrets, but so did kiva so i cant be that frustrated about it 🧘🏼♀️ yeah i cant wait to see him in the next book too, like especially with kiva 💘
☆ ──꒰ a letter to caitlyn 💌꒱ ❞ ‧₊˚
i've finally got around to writing my review LMAOOO. anyways i love you so so so much, i adore our buddy reads so much and ranting and yapping to you is one of my fav things to do <3 thank you soso much for reading this with me, you're my best friend and i love you forever and always xoxo
👯♀️👯♀️👯♀️
₊⁺ 𖥻 overall 🩷 ⋆.˚୨ৎ
SO. SO. SO. GOOD. everyone read this book NOW. 🏃♀️🏃♀️
⋆.˚ 🎼 — started: 30th may
finished: 16th june
₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅
_____________________
ּ֯ . ⊹౨ৎ ּ֯ ┆preread ˚˖𓍢ִ໋🏹˚ׅ
♟️ — start date: 30th may
જ⁀➴ okay this has been on my tbr for ages, and i absolutely adore fantasy so im super super excited to read this 🥹🫂 im buddy reading this with my angel caitlyn !! our 2nd buddy read, im so excited 🌷🙈
★ 5 stars ⋆˙⟡
⤷ spoilers ahead 🫂 !
───────୨ৎ────────
☆ ── 📬“Our scars define us. They tell a story of courage and survival. They tell of who we are at our deepest being, of the challenges we've faced and overcome ❞ ‧₊˚
🎶 now playing: no time to die - billie eilish ⋆୨୧˚
0:43 ───|────── 2:57
♫ fool me once,
fool me twice,
are you death or paradise?
now you'll never see me cry
theres just no time to die ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
𖥻 plot 📖 ౨ৎ˚₊‧ִֶ
the prison healer follows kiva meridan, a prison healer who takes the place of the rebel queen to compete in a series of elemental challenges. alongside all of this, kiva also deals with a mysterious illness spreading through the deadly prison, zalindov, and a new prisoner that she cant seem to avoid.
𖥻 my thoughts 📚 ౨ৎ˚₊‧ִֶ
OH. MY. GOD. this book, maybe one of the best fantasy books i've ever read. i am inlove, like truly obsessed. im not over it at all 😞 when i get my hands on the rest of the series, i apologise in advance to everyone because i am going to be INSUFFERABLE. every single part of this book is perfect. from the plot, to the characters, TO THE PLOT TWISTS??? ugh this book is literally just a rollercoaster from beginning to end. i urge everyone to drop their cr and just pick this up. do it!! as. soon. as. fucking. possible. this book is literally unforgettable, and my favourite fantasy book of 2026 💐
the plot sounded like it was going to deliver, AND BEST BELIEVE IT DID 🙂↕️💝 our fmc, kiva, takes part in deadly elemental challenges, and GOD it was so good. all of them - air, fire, earth, water - were petrifying and made have mini heart attacks while reading. ESPECIALLY fire and air. HELLOOO? these scenes will literally make you say prayers to god, take deep breaths and put you on the verge of a panic attack. i physically couldn't turn the page for some of the scenes because i was that scared for kiva 😭 i am so attached to these characters, i am terrified for the next book tbh. along with this, the illness spreading through zalindov had me SCARED. the investigation, and what actually caused it all? INSANE. ill talk about it more in my spoiler paragraph because if someone spoiled this book for me i would cry. even though the investigation scenes didn't really have that much action or excitement, i still literally couldnt put it down!! the fantasy was also perfect and done right!! the setting of the prison just had a whole new layer of horror and darkness to the story, and really had you thinking "GOD kiva is so strong" cause she so is! 💗💓💞💕💖💘
the side characters made my love for this book just increase everytime they made an appearance. TIPP 😭😭 tipp was my absolute favourite, i love him and im so scared for the next books cause if anything happens to this child ill die... he was so adorable, positive, and even though the guy was like 9, he was such a good friend to kiva. i just want to give him a huge hug cause ugh 😭😭 he's gone through so much and THAT STUNT LYNETTE NONI PULLED AT THE END. THE FUCK?? i cant. i cant wait to see him in the next books!
spoiler paragraph pls look away if you havent read or if you're like 100 pages through
okay i have to start WITH THAT ENDING. THE FUCK?? you're telling me that kiva is the rebel princess. fuck off. i was SHOOK. 😥😥😥 the best ending, i need that second book literally as soon as possible. also, jaren being a prince???????? AND THE WARDEN POSIONING PEOPLE?? this book is truly, truly insane. and apparently the twists just get better throughout the series, so you know im going to go insane for them. just as i thought i was done, you know, nothing else is gonna happen. SOMETHING HAPPENED 😞💖
ughhhhhhhhhhhhhbh
𖥻 characters 💐 ౨ৎ˚₊‧ִֶ
♫ too much to bear
you were my life,
but life is far away from fair
was i stupid to love you?
was i reckless to help? ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
⋆˙⟡ kiva
❥ ּ֯ ┆꒰ “Hope was a drug and Kiva, an addict.” ꒱
she was SUCH a strong character. she went through so much in this book, and even in her backstory, which we didnt learn so much about but still broke my heart 😞 she was incredibly caring, especially towards tipp and eventually to jaren. stop i actually adore her, and i cant wait to see her in the next book, especially since we know her secret 👀👀
⋆˙⟡ jaren
❥ ּ֯ ┆꒰ “So you’re right, you don’t need me fighting your battles. But if you’ll let me, I’d like to be standing beside you as you fight them.”꒱
HELLO. i love this man! positive, again very, very caring towards tipp and kiva. obviously i didnt like him keeping secrets, but so did kiva so i cant be that frustrated about it 🧘🏼♀️ yeah i cant wait to see him in the next book too, like especially with kiva 💘
☆ ──꒰ a letter to caitlyn 💌꒱ ❞ ‧₊˚
i've finally got around to writing my review LMAOOO. anyways i love you so so so much, i adore our buddy reads so much and ranting and yapping to you is one of my fav things to do <3 thank you soso much for reading this with me, you're my best friend and i love you forever and always xoxo
👯♀️👯♀️👯♀️
₊⁺ 𖥻 overall 🩷 ⋆.˚୨ৎ
SO. SO. SO. GOOD. everyone read this book NOW. 🏃♀️🏃♀️
⋆.˚ 🎼 — started: 30th may
finished: 16th june
₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅
_____________________
ּ֯ . ⊹౨ৎ ּ֯ ┆preread ˚˖𓍢ִ໋🏹˚ׅ
♟️ — start date: 30th may
જ⁀➴ okay this has been on my tbr for ages, and i absolutely adore fantasy so im super super excited to read this 🥹🫂 im buddy reading this with my angel caitlyn !! our 2nd buddy read, im so excited 🌷🙈
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38,327 reviews